Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Gene Steinberg solicited cash donations from an e-list hundreds of times since 2014 and earlier, including 139 emails during 2017, for circumstances framed as financial emergencies. Screenshots of subject lines of many of the emails are posted below. A list of the 2017 emails by subject line and date is provided at the end of this post.The dozens of 2017 messages continued what has become an ongoing story of financial destitution narrated for years by the host of The Paracast. The money, according to Steinberg's emails, was needed for such personal expenses as rent, utilities, and groceries, often described as crises and nightmares. The emails contained a PayPal link and instructions for sending funds, as has been the case in years past.

Steinberg messages to the e-list from 2016, with December through July followed by June to January:

Steinberg 2015 personal cash solicitations, followed by dozens more from 2014:

According to several of the 139 Steinberg emails sent in 2017, he was unable to find a way to regularly pay rent throughout the year, reporting impending evictions on multiple occasions. He would then undertake fundraising drives for what was described to the e-list as either getting caught up on rent or relocating to another residence. The recurring scenarios included Steinberg's criticism of landlords and property managers, seemingly for expecting payments, which by his own accounts were owed yet delivered sporadically if at all. "I've pretty much run out of excuses to persuade the property manager to let us stay in this home," Steinberg wrote in an Aug. 15 message to the e-list, a typically provided description of the housing situations. Such narratives were recurring for years. It was not clear why Steinberg repeatedly enters into rental agreements he cannot afford, but emails from multiple years clarify the scenario is frequently reported.Additional urgencies reported to the e-list during 2017 included a fall at a grocery store, automobile troubles, and his wife's health, among others. Steinberg's pleas for cash were in several instances accompanied by claims his bank account balance was so low he would have difficulty affording food if recipients did not act. Such assertions were common, as were claims of working more than ever and putting in extra hours. Exactly what was meant by such terms as "extra hours" was not clarified for email recipients. An accounting of how much income Steinberg earned per month - and how reportedly working more than ever chronically left him impoverished - were also not included in the ongoing emails.The themes have been consistently repeated since years predating 2014. A sample of quotes from Steinberg cash solicitations since 2010 and sent to his e-list as provided by a contact:

Steinberg's perpetual personal fundraising has long drawn criticism. Some feel his credibility is strained. Others suggest even if his claims are to be accepted, his money-managing competency is drawn into question due to what has now become years of rationalizing his failure to take care of himself. Community members have questioned the practicality of contributing cash when years of cash solicitations to help him "get past this nightmare" only lead to more cash solicitations. Similarly, others question Steinberg's judgment about conducting such email activities within a genre with a history of being targeted for exploitation and a reputation for harboring charlatans. "Why must this be an issue?" Steinberg replied Dec. 27 when offered an opportunity to provide comment on his ongoing emails for inclusion in this blog post. A short time later in a second email he vaguely suggested "fake news" is circulating about him but did not directly address his perpetual cash solicitation campaign.Christopher O'Brien, a writer, researcher, and longtime Steinberg co-host at Paracast, was offered an opportunity to comment on Steinberg's email cash solicitation activities. He did not immediately respond to a Dec. 27 email. The 2017 solicitations peaked in August, when 19 of the year's total 139 cash requests were sent to the e-list. The August total was followed by June with 17, while May and December had 14 email cash solicitations each. The messages contained descriptions of living conditions framed as dire and urgent, along with the PayPal link. The least active month was March, when Steinberg sent four emails, consisting of the subject lines Back to Zero!, The Agony Continues!, Monday Update!, and Please Help!.

In an undated post at Paracast Steinberg stated he first began requesting donations for reasons surrounding a relative's misfortune in 2003. According to Steinberg, the circumstances left his personal finances devastated."The 2007 recession made it difficult to find outside work for a while, but conditions are getting better," the podcaster attempted to further explain in the Paracast post.Whether one interprets such statements to help or hinder his efforts to defend his financial competency and integrity, in 2010 - now over seven years ago - Steinberg posted at the Binnall of America forum that his "financial shortfall is strictly temporary":

Such projections of improving finances were dramatically miscalculated if Steinberg's continuing claims of empty pockets are accurate. The reported expectations of future prosperity are nonetheless common within the ongoing narrative. "First of all, my long-term money situation is getting better. I'm not there yet, but I've made real progress," Steinberg wrote in an Apr. 26 email while requesting funds from recipients, his 30th such email of the year at that point. In spite of projecting a better money situation and claiming to be making progress, he proceeded to send the list well over 100 more solicitations for cash gifts before the end of the year.In July I received an email from an individual suggesting Steinberg conducts additional email solicitations specifically tailored for past donors. The person explained they regretfully sent Steinberg money when they didn't know the claims of hardships had been going on for years. Now they receive requests for cash in addition to his financial pleas sent to the regular e-list, they wrote. The person added they had recently received the following and assume others who gave him money in the past get similar messages:

The use of such terms as "miracle" and "nightmare" were common throughout the years of emails.In a Sep. 1 email titled, Paying it forward!, the podcaster and forum host described his life situation in the context of victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas who were "also suffering." In what appeared to be an effort to persuade the e-list to redirect donations to him that would otherwise be sent to support clean up and humanitarian relief efforts, Steinberg suggested to the email recipients he would "give back" to participating charities in the future if readers would send their money to him instead. "So I realize most of you would rather donate to the Red Cross and other charities trying to make a difference," Steinberg wrote."But I will do this: If you are able to set aside some money to help me with my situation, I'll make sure to give back on an ongoing basis to those in Texas who are also suffering."No updates were offered to the e-list on the commitment. Neither were explanations forthcoming of how such ongoing giving would be possible in light of Steinberg's chronically claimed lack of money.

July (10)Another terrible weekend! July 31So I'm broke again this weekend! July 22Thursday's Update! July 20I'm just out of ideas! July 19The clock is ticking! July 18A morning nightmare! July 10I'm at a stopping point! July 6I wonder how much time I have left! July 5A stressful holiday weekend! July 4So the landlord cancelled my lease! July 2June (17)I hope I'm not done for! June 27What am I supposed to do? June 26Urgent update! June 25I fear this is a losing cause! June 25Is this the last weekend with a roof over my head? June 24I'm losing hope! June 22Accident Update! June 20Now I'm an accident survivor! June 19I'm still coping with a possible emergency! June 18I bought a little more time, but not a lot! June 15There's still time for you to help! June 14Facing life in the street! June 13I'm losing hope! June 11I'm trying to remain optimistic, June 9but it's getting harder!Its [sic] still hopeless! June 8I'm about to lose everything! June 7From Bad to Worse! June 5May (14)Emergency Rent Update! May 31My Last Day? May 31Only a Few Days Left! May 29Forced Out! May 26The Fastest Way to Help! May 24Down to the Wire Again! May 23My Golden Years May 18Drowning May 17One Step Forward, Two Steps Back May 15Very Slow Progress! May 10Just to Clarify My Situation May 8A Really Bad Weekend! May 7Back to Zero! May 5My Impossible Situation! May 1April (5)The May 1st Deadline Apr 30My Wife is About to Lose Her Health Insurance Apr 28My End-of-Month Deadlines Apr 26Friday Update! Apr 7An Update on Barbara@ [sic] Apr 4March (4)Back to Zero! Mar 21The Agony Continues! Mar 7Monday Update! Mar 6Please Help! Mar 2February (13)A Huge March Emergency! Feb 28Old and Broke! Feb 27By a Slender Thread! Feb 21$1,200 in 24 Hours! Feb 19Another Critical Update! Feb 18There is Still Time! Feb 16Landlord Update! Feb 15Only a Few Days Left! Feb 13Preparing for Another Impossible Weekend! Feb 10Emergency Update! Feb 8I'm Close to Failure! Feb 7Still on the Brink! Feb 6Living on the Brink! Feb 2January (10)Please Don't Let Me Lose This Battle! Jan 31Another Bad Weekend! Jan 29Still struggling Jan 25Another Barren Weekend! Jan 23A Few Dollars Less! Jan 16Saturday... Jan 14A Bad Start for the New Year! Jan 12Overwhelmed! Jan 9Making Do in 2017 Jan 6My Goals for 2017 Jan 2

332 comments:

Not to mention Gene removes almost all posts on the Paracast forum when a reader brings this up. I posted about the money once around 2009 and he wrote back to me complaining that I was trying to slander him. I think we are getting into fraud territory, he's using textbook email solicitation techniques used by nonprofits, only there is ZERO transparency as where the money is going. My guess it's his pocket.

I have asked Chris O'Brien that exact question. This was in 2016 and then Chris said he was leaving the show. But that never happened. I don't read minds so I don't know why Chris remains there. I wouldn't.

I have repeatedly asked Gene to STOP w/ all his begging and find a way to monetize the show. He responds the same way every time: "go sell some ads." My response is always the same: I already work for practically nothing, why should I spec more time (commission only, of course) to sell ads when I doubt I'll see much of the money? The only reason why I stay is that there are a lot of people that listen to the show to hear what our guests and myself have to say about the topics we cover. I am grateful for the many emails I get from fans of the show that thank me for being a co-host. In case you haven't noticed, I've cut back on the number of shows I participate in this past year because I'm not getting paid. To be fair, Gene has come through occasionally for me. He pays for my phone, he gave me his old computer and phone and if I yell loud and long enough, he'll send me $40 or $50 to shut me up. He did do the Quark layout for Stalking the Herd, which I really appreciated. This whole issue has been a constant bone of contention between us. I have little to no respect for someone that has to constantly rely on the goodness of strangers. In 2015 he even "borrowed" $250 from me to pay his rent so he "wouldn't get evicted." I am almost at the end of my patience about all this and hate to think I'm being slimed by this issue when it has absolutely zero to do w/ me!

I realize your stance is that the issue has zero to do with you, and, as I understand you have voiced on social media, you would prefer the integrity of Paracast be kept separate from Steinberg's years-long cash solicitation campaign. In light of those perspectives, please consider Steinberg's use of a Paracast email address to conduct the solicitations, and, as recently as today, Steinberg used a Twitter account bearing Paracast in its title, @theparacast, to continue his campaign:

This I did not know and this is NOT acceptable! Gene, I know you are reading this: Please immediately stop the solicitation/begging on our Paracast accounts. Do it only on/through your own personal accounts, thanks. I appreciate you informing me of this Jack.

This is not what is happening; it's typical of how the situation has been unduly distorted. Our web server is named Paracast, so anything originating from it will bear that name.

Solicitations are sent to a totally separate email list not at all connected with the radio show, the Paracast newsletter or the forum. They all forward to one of my technightowl.com addresses.

But it's easier to make assumptions than to find the most unsavory explanations.

Indeed, Chris has already explained the main cash flow problem to you. I have spent several years looking for a salesperson who could handle ad sales for the radio shows and sites, and social network liaison. I had such a person in 2009, and we started getting a decent income. He burned out.

Anyone who wants to add a nice side income and help feed Chris and I and end the need for donations forever should apply direct to me. It's a lot easier to find ways to help than to make up stories about scams and such.

The Twitter account used to further promote your cash solicitations, as cited, is indeed a Paracast-titled account. To frame it otherwise is incorrect.

Moreover, the gist of the years-long narrative of hardships, which includes hundreds - if not thousands - of emails, indeed using a Paracast addy, uses an e-list relatively obtained due to Paracast. This has been the case for many years, and to spin it otherwise is disingenuous, at best.

Your comments have been liberally allowed up to this point. If you desire for that to continue to be the case, please keep them at least reasonably factual. Otherwise, I will decline to entertain them.

Chris, surely you can see how duplicitous Gene has been in his responses here. For the life of me I do not understand why you, Paul, or Don have anything to do with this person. It most certainly reflects badly on you all. I am thankful for the people who warned me about this guy and I regret ever having anything to do with him or the show. I will not listen to the show and I will not contribute to the forum because of the man's actions. It is common knowledge that Gene is a running joke with many of the people who associate with him. I don't get the attraction.

I totally have to agree about where did the road go. Seriah puts out a very substantial and consistent show WITHOUT ADS! The reason he can do it is because instead of ads he solicits through Patreon (only once per show mind you) and because he puts out consistent shows with both popular and obscure guests, people are willing to donate because they don't feel like they are being ripped off! Also, I have had very sharp criticisms of some of Seriahs views and instead of dodging them he actually engages in a conversation with me which shows how down to earth he is.

I have loved WTRG but since he brought on the "girl" I have not been able to stomach a complete episode. I am not sexist but this person dumbs down the show. She speaks more than anyone else from the traditional team and always states the bloody obvious. I just can't listen anymore. Am I the only one?

Gene Steinberg: "Your entire blog is disingenuous. The obsession with my personal problems, and the fear-mongering about them, is very troubling."

It is you, Gene, who have made of your personal problems a public circus, especially your wife's medical issues (though in the scam-world such 'personal touches' are inevitable, and are a give-away regarding the essential nature of what you are doing). Having made a public circus of your personal problems, you cannot then fault members of the public who engage you in what is clearly your 'obsession'. You are either a public figure who has opened the door on his private life or you are not. You are clearly the former. That being the case, you cannot then rightly abuse those who engage you in your 'obsession'. Accept the consequences of what you yourself have set in motion.

I am puzzled by the phrase 'fear-mongering'. Not sure how any of what is going forward on this blog is fear-mongering - though what I think you mean (unintentionally) is that with such a blog holding steady reporting your actions vis-a-vis the money pitches, it is your fear (and I could see it being a very real fear) that the Paracast itself and the forums attached - your honey-pot-trap - might be revealed to the general public. Scams cannot sustain the daylight. It's why you cannot allow any discourse regarding this topic to stand on the Paracast forums: it's why posters are banned, threads are snipped, and you pay such close attention to what goes forward about all of this on the internet. This last puzzles a lot of people but it's wholly understandable if you are in fact running a scam that you need to protect. In fact, I would say your willingness to engage on the world-wide-web in conversation about this is a dead-give-away that you are very savvy about what you are doing.

The 'troubling' aspect for you would be if this blog gets enough notice then your honey-pot-trap is in jeopardy. Scams require the cloak of obscurity. You have miscalculated. As smart as you are (and you are that, I do believe) you appear to have some curious blindspots, or perhaps contempt for your audience (your hoped-for donors).

This reminds me of a graduate research project someone did in Chicago a number of years ago. He panhandled on the corner of Michigan and Wacker for a month to find out what panhandlers collect and if they can survive on "change" from passersby. When he concluded his study, he was interviewed on a local news broadcast about his findings. It turned out he was collecting an average of $300 per day. Pretty sweet gig.

I shared my personal story and Gene threatened me with a lawsuit. But facts are simply facts. When I moved to Phoenix in 2004, where Gene lives, I was still unaware of Gene's continual begging for money. I was excited to live near the host of the Paracast. I had created a CD of UFO related music and clips that I thought might amuse him, so I sent him an email. I was shocked when his response told me that his wife had screwed up their checkbook for the weekend, there was no food in the house, and they had no access to money. Could I send him a couple hundred dollars to tide them over the weekend? I refused to do so. I contacted an Administrator on his Paracast Forum to ask about his email. This Administrator responded that Gene hits people and guests up for money all the time, and this is why David Biedny (his co-host) left the show. David talked about this in a YOUTUBE interview available still on YOUTUBE, although Gene reportedly was trying to get YOUTUBE to take it down. Gene's comments about the Paracast and Gene are part of a larger interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrkAXqN2MBU

I stopped listening to the Paracast some time ago because they constantly berated all their colleagues. Very snarky. They didn't offer much in the way of exciting information anyway. How can the show have so many sponsors, only to have a host say they have no money at all? Get a job, idiot. Many of the other podcasters have some stable means of income, and provide podcasts in their free time. This surely sounds like fraud. I'd like to see an IRS agent go through his records, and I hope the people who assign aid in the form of food stamps, help for utilities, etc. find out about this. Gene should put his creative writing skills to use in a profitabe way.

You do NOT know what you are talking about! GCN gets the ad revenue, not us. We do have several ad slots that we would get the $'s from, but we have no one to sell ads. We don't constantly berate our colleagues. We call BS when we see it and don't suspend our disbelief. The field has a lot of BS, so we find ourselves calling people out about it. It's a tough, thankless job, but someone has to do it!

Interesting--thanks for the insight on the ad situation. Gene's emails often refer to the "outstanding" or "late" ad revenue that is due to come in, at some point, so many of us thought that there was ad revenue that was going to Paracast rather than GCN.

Chris, you know that Phoenix is not a high cost area to live. It is very possible to retire, live in Social Security and Medicare, and earn a living on the side. I am doing it with a little eBay business. If Gene lived in San Francisco or San Diego I might understand the poverty persona, but many people move to Phoenix upon retirement because the standard of living is high but the cost of living is relatively low.

Last year Chris O'Brien stated that "Gene is doing a hell of a lot better than I am.” Gene wrote in response:

"The fact of the matter is that I don’t make much money from the shows; I get a much larger portion of my income from other sources. So there’s very little left for Chris."

Thus article documents one of the other sources. Along with many others, we have received regular emails asking for help. The perpetual rent crisis (the real mystery is how he finds a landlord willing to rent to him). His wife's medical needs - although that does not seem to be as much of factor since a couple of his emails hinted at domestic problems. His dental problems. A car accident.

And always, there is the promise that he is working hard to resolve the problems and believes that this is temporary.

I'm not the best person to offer financial advise, but after a while it seems that the crisis approach would offer limited returns. It might have been better to use the Patreon model, initiate a kickstarter campaign to write a biography of Jim Mosley, or try something completely different in a completely different place.

I can feel sorry for him. I would not want to be driving Uber or Lyft in my 70s. But there are family members that do not seem to have that much more secure of a retirement and they do not have email lists as a fall-back option.

Gene's a lying sack. I don't believe at this point he's ever been as truly hard up for money as his constant sob stories indicate.

A previous poster said it might have been better to use the Patreon model or use Kickstarter. Gene's tried that several times in the recent yearish or so that I've been aware of this shitshow. The campaigns get a couple of donations then quietly disappear. I think the direct emails offer him the opportunity to attempt to shame people into buying into his poor-old-man song & dance more easily than does a kickstarter campaign. That's without getting into the fact that those types of platforms are moving away from e-begging being one of their primary uses (for good reason - if I was legitimately creating things on Patreon I wouldn't want to share the platform with a despicable old-ass huckster like Gene, either).

Realizing that Gene was the one making the almost all of the money that the Paracast was bringing in (seriously, where is that sub money going if we're to believe any of Gene's bullshit) was what got me to cancel my sub and stop listening. It's not as if he brings anything to the table from a listener's perspective, anyhow.

Gene has been running this scam for many, many years now as this article proves beyond any shadow of a doubt. He has numerous email lists and has floated one sob story after another in an attempt to prey upon people's better natures. Should you ever give the guy any money, you will be hit up for a loan, badgered, and ultimately threatened if you try to clue his hapless forum participants in on his scheme. There is absolutely no reason to believe anything he says about his situation or anything else for that matter. I have to wonder why so many people continue to contribute not only money in the way of subscriptions, but their time in the way of interviews and forum postings. They are lending their own names and reputations to this proven huckster. There ought to be a law.

Nobody is expected to read a request or email if they don't want, and I make it easy to unsubscribe with a single click. I don't "badger" or "threaten" people. No wonder why you're anonymous.

Anyone who wants verification of any of my ongoing issues or just more information is always free to write. Nobody here has done so. It's easier, I suppose, to just make up stories about them.

The point of it all, of course, is that my personal problems aren't really anyone's business, except for those who receive my announcements and are interested in my situation. I rarely mention it on the forums, and never on the radio shows.

Maybe, now, we can focus on something that's really important in resolving the UFO question.

How thoughtful of you, Gene. Did the people on your list 'subscribe' in the first place to e-begging in general, much less to the sheer volume of it chronicled in this post?

>Anyone who wants verification of any of my ongoing issues or just more information is always free to write.

OK. I'm asking. Lay all that verification on us, Gene.

>The point of it all, of course, is that my personal problems aren't really anyone's business, except for those who receive my announcements and are interested in my situation.

Sounds like you've got a problem, then, Gene. You're not doing such a great job of keeping your solicitation list limited to only those that are 'interested' in hearing your incessant whining for money. This post's existence is evidence of that. That's without even addressing the multiple failed crowdfunding attempts you've started then quietly shuttered without comment. All of those were completely public, so this 'omg you guys are like totally like, up in my private business and stuff' dog just don't hunt.

First off, Jack you are exactly what the UFO community needs and may be the second incarnation of Jim Moseley RIP. Speaking of Jim does anyone know if he had any opinions on what Gene is doing or even knew about it since he had absolutely 0 knowledge of anything on the internet? If he didn't know then whenever he stops inhabiting the body of Jack Brewer he must be spinning in his freaking Grave. Gene you have literally no one to blame but yourself and looking at all this evidence which you have not once denied makes you look like a complete scam artist!

Interestingly, a somewhat high profile members of the paranormal/UFO community who once said they'd have nothing more to do with Steinberg (I won't name names ) because of his ongoing harassment/badgering/begging for money to him, have returned to his fold.

Why? Because they have something to sell to paranormal/UFO true believers.

The level of sleaziness and duplicity in the UFO/paranormal community outstrips even that of US politics.

Generalization much? Of course you do, you do it on every message board.

Sleaze is everywhere, at the furniture store, stock market, churches, schools...there's no minimum wage pay for hunting UFOs. Unless you are wealthy enough from your real job, you are going to have a percentage of hustlers in the UFO community that try to sell any nonsense they can. But I think this blog and many others have started to cull the ranks, we know who the David Wilcocks are. Yet, every sector has these people trying to half-truth their way to profitability (or survival).

The UFO and paranomal community is bigger, more globally connected, and finally shifting science to doubt materialism and humancentrism. I think we finally are getting to some meat of the subject.

Gene needs to realize that his begging is hurting the UFO subject, and the new momentum, if he really cares about it. I sometimes wonder if he cares for progress still, or just likes the idea of past UFO nostalgia more.

Continue on in your delusion that the US UFO community isn't a breeding ground for hucksters and con men. Its true believers (who tend to overlap with the Alex Jones crowd) will believe anything, no matter how insane, illogical or outrageous just as long as it coincides with their personal beliefs. They are sheep waiting and willing to be fleeced. And Steinberg has figured that out and is riding the wave like so many other high-profile "Ufologists".

It's hard for Steinberg to hurt Ufology when it isn't anything real.

Do you honestly think most non-believers were heartened or convinced by finding out about that secret Pentagon study? Hell no. Many were pissed off at more government waste of taxpayer funds on another pointless boondoggle that was the pet pork barrel of a particular senator.

You need to get out more among non-believers. Just because UFOs are amusing conversation when the drinks are poured doesn't mean the world is full of believers in the sober light of the next day.

Labels. Labels you created and are trying to apply more for you than for me. Like I said I think you generalize too much--it hurts your opinions here and on other boards. It doesn't benefit discussions on the ufo subject we don't have answers for. Not everything is alien, but there are instances where something intelligent is outsmarting our best Earth based sciences. There are hucksters. There are scientists. There are great people interested in UFOs. You seem to latch on to the first group and then think we all drink the same kool-aid. I don't drink with the first group...I drink with the world class engineers that find the subject fascinating and disturbing.

People are "pissed" at $22 million? You mean the people that let us get to 20 Trillion in debt are now finally pissed at $22 million over 5 years? The people I saw upset at this were 1)clueless to national defense 2)debunkers using it as their dull sword to attempt to cut at anything they could 3)anti-government haters and 4)haters of Harry Reid. I'll be honest I dislike Reid myself, but this program is peanuts, and its peanuts to Bigelow and his billion dollar life. If there's another subcontractor that is willing to help investigate UFOs, works with NASA, and has 20 years of previous experience, and willing to spend their own money to help solve the ufo subject...then lets take bids next time. Name some names.

Gene Steinberg using the ufo subject to hustle or beg for money is to me unsavory. He has a decent show that calls out the bogus hucksters, but then he uses similar tactics and washes his hands by saying they don't have to donate to him, he's not forcing anyone. But he represents a life of UFO study, calling out frauds and manipulators, then taints it all and doesn't seem to realize it. Maybe Dave Ramsey needs to be the next interview. Gene is like the Rick Pitino of ufology...he does all this great work, passionate about it, but then ruins it with ethical stumbles and can't quite grasp that he has a legacy he's hurting and he's hurting the subject he supposedly cares about--yet sometimes I wonder if he still does.

Yet on the other side, I also find the bullying tactics of generalizing and labeling unsavory too. Little tired of it. It's the internet so I know whatever I say will just be a forum for anger and "winning" the debate. I don't want to fight, I won't waste time on it...I hope you find a way to realize that a lot of people interested in this subject are sober, intelligent, and skeptical, but leaning towards answers that are not human,sometimes. Disagreeing is fine with me, yet branding everyone as nuts and wrapped up in UFOs is ridiculous. Not one alien has paid my mortgage or college loans, just plain hard sensible work got me to six figures. People that hoax and cheat people by using the UFO subject disgust me, call them out, hang 'em high, it's time to get the subject back to a more professional level of discussion and investigation.

Say what you will about Gene, but he has produced an outstanding body of work with the hundred or so emails he has sent out spanning well over a decade now that include a wide range of catastrophic story lines, from evictions and tragic fender benders to dog toy accidents and paying movers with pizza and diet coke. We salute, sir!

Factual correction: The reference to a car accident in June 2017 was the one where my car was hit head on by a truck and totaled; air bags went off and the medics were summoned to check me over. They reported a possibly erratic heartbeat, but it wasn't bad enough to require a visit to the hospital. I also suffered back-related injuries that required months of chiropractic manipulation, covered by Medicare, to mitigate.

Thanks, Concerned Reader! That was indeed a Scheme Gene top ten hit, the whole please-fund-my-wife's-purse-start-up and we will get back on our feet again and make it across the finish in time. A high water mark, indeed!

Gene has been outed for quite some time now, the fact that he's obsessively monitoring these posts (via google alerts, no doubt), speaks highly of his motivation and methods. He will NEVER stop begging for money, not ever, you can count on that.

Jack, any math on how much time Gene has spent over the years going back and forth with critics on blogs and message boards like this, while in the middle of dire financial crisis, where every second is precious?

Enough that it's become part of the running joke eluded to earlier. Among those familiar with the ongoing cash solicitation campaign, it is difficult to accept the claims in full of seeking and maintaining traditional, gainful employment, particularly the implications long hours are spent driving for Uber and Lyft.

As you suggest, Jeremy, the prevailing skepticism is for no less than two reasons:

One, Steinberg obviously spends substantial amounts of time posting on forums, writing newsletters, maintaining social media accounts, activities on YouTube, doing two shows, arguing with people, and, of course, composing cash solicitation emails, among other things. Many find it difficult to justify and envision how these would be the time management choices of someone getting evicted three times per year, and,

Two, Steinberg's implications of working long hours with Uber and Lyft are widely doubted because such drivers can be shown to make reasonable money, or at the least find ways to avoid being destitute 52 weeks per year.

I used to listen to The Paracast weekly. After I signed up for the forums, I started receiving the constant begging emails and it turned me off. I like Chris which is why I put up with it for as long as I did...but the emails were just too much.

Thanks. O'Brien's post seems to have vanished in pretty short order, but a screen grab may be viewed at the link below.

Christopher O'Brien wrote:

"The only thing that's burned me is doing the show for practically free and having to plead, dog and threaten Gene for a few measly scraps maybe (if I'm lucky) a couple of times a year and the burn out and embarrassment of being slimed by his constant begging for $$$. His latest drama has stretched me past the point of no return."

Gene never, ever, addresses why that sister-in-law of his, the one whose husband made him "destitute" in the first place, won't take him and his wife in. Her husband died, so why won't she house them, since it's her fault that they are always on the verge of dumpster-diving? She's leave them on the street to starve? I smell a rat, here. And rats stink to high heaven...

I was sad to see this blog post. Jack Brewer has positioned himself as a sort of 'call it like it is' commentator when it comes to UFOs. Now it looks like he's just a part of a particular online UFOlogy factional fight. The Jeremy Vaeni/Tim Binnall vs. Gene Steinberg pissing contest has been going on for years. This blog post amounts to nothing more than choosing sides within it.

Why say that? Because obviously Steinberg in his solicitation e-mails is full of sh*t. But who isn't? Isn't it understood that any organization trying to take your money is BSing you to some extent? It's a sales approach. Sales involves deception - even when telling you the truth. They're trying to get you to behave a certain way, namely, to give up your money.

I'm hard-pressed to see how Gene Steinberg declaring 'Woe is me' every week in order to grab people's income is a *story*. It might be regrettable. Steinberg might well be full of sh*t - though it's worth pointing out this blog entry doesn't actually establish that he's lying about being broke. Maybe he is broke. Maybe his life is one of an ongoing financial emergency. Who knows? It isn't clear.

But tell me how Steinberg BS-ing people for donations is different than, say, Jeremy Vaeni's benefactor, Whitley Strieber, doing the same at unknowncountry.com. Every week Strieber tells the world that his latest interview is the most important thing he's ever done. Every week he tells his listeners how the site is experiencing financial hardships and how he needs their donations. Strieber even goes farther than Steinberg and claims enemies of his hack his site, the donation flow, etc. Vaeni doesn't seem to have a problem with that. He continues to do his little show at Strieber's site.

So this blog entry is a bit of a joke. Everybody in UFOlogy who takes any money at all is BS-ing to some extent. All this story does is announce that Jack Brewer sees himself on one side because he's friends with them and against other parties on other sides whom he doesn't favor.

I'd assert the comments above are rationalizing Steinberg's behavior while employing 'whataboutism' in attempts to justify an otherwise weak argument. Steinberg's behavior is neither salesmanship nor typical. Moreover, the issue is not whether he's actually as chronically broke as he claims. The issue involves that he saddles others with the responsibility of his living conditions, which he purportedly does not improve himself week after week, month after month, year after year. His 'emergencies' reflect a lifestyle.

It was my assessment that the often private discussions about Steinberg and his antics deserve a public platform for the benefit of potential show guests, potential show hosts, potential cash contributors, and the community at large who know less than others about the ongoing circumstances. I continue to fully stand by that decision.

Nobody looking at this from the outside - without a dog in the online UFOlogy hunt, so to speak - would find what you've said in any way compelling. They wouldn't give Steinberg's pathetic sales solicitation e-mails a second thought. Yet you've devoted a whole lengthy blog post to it, chronicling these financial appeals in detail - raising the question: why? I'd submit it only makes sense within a context of UFOlogy eating itself alive, the usual petty factional nonsense where one side piles on another side's so-called indiscretions. Your reply here stating that Steinberg 'saddles others with the responsibility of his living conditions' - so what? How is this minor ethical lapse noteworthy in any way or deserving of public comment? Is he defrauding his donors? If he is, prove it. Then it's a story. If you can't, and all you can show is just a pathetic bunch of endless appeals, then it's a non-story.

This thing strikes me as kind of a joke, along with - it should be said - you presenting yourself as some sort of paragon of integrity 'exposing' his fairly minor shenanigans. Basically, your post is just a personal attack on Steinberg. Now, I don't happen to listen to his show, and I've never sent him money. But that's my choice. Others might want to give him money for his hair transplant emergency/his latest fender-bender, etc. But do you suppose you've really done a hard-hitting expose by calling out this schlub on your blog? You're kidding yourself.

I'm afraid Jack has you dead to rights and in your criticism of Jack as being petty and attacking Gene in this blog post you seem to only bring it up in order to make a petty attack on Vaeni/Streiber. The whole point is that if we truly want to find answers in this field we should call out all charlatans whether they be hosting shows on the topic and using it as a platform to e beg or whether they are people like Vaeni who have experiences that don't have corroborating witnesses or one of the worst was years ago Noory had on a duo (one claimed to be a registered nurse) that claimed they could heal burn victims remotely when they received "donations". We all need to call BS when we see it, admit to ourselves that it was a good story (hell I wish the commander X stories were true and just because they are a steaming pile of BS doesn't prevent me from enjoying the story) but that this only serves to take away from truly anomalous experiences that happen in objective reality to multiple people.

"The Jeremy Vaeni/Tim Binnall vs. Gene Steinberg pissing contest has been going on for years." ... and... "Nobody looking at this from the outside - without a dog in the online UFOlogy hunt, so to speak - would find what you've said in any way compelling."

I'm curious what you think the pissing contest is. What do you think is my dog in the fight other than questioning the truthfulness of a man in perpetual emergency for a decade?

When Jeff Ritzmann and I hosted Paratopia many moons ago and we had a falling out with Gene's then-co-host, we STILL ran an online donation campaign for Gene, because we believed that his real-world plight trumped whatever bad blood we had with his co-host. I think we were duped. We certainly wouldn't want anyone else falling for a false charity case.

Equating probable fraudulent charity with overinflated salesmanship (or even showmanship) is a false equivalent. And the notion that Tim or I (especially Tim. Really? You think Tim Binnall cares beyond the comedy and questionable morality of Gene's pleas?) are in a pissing contest with anyone in Podcast World is ridiculous. It's something people make up and say when they don't want to deal with the actual issues brought forth.

It's 2018. I barely care about any of this, truth be told, pro and con. Less and less of this subject is fascinating to me anymore and it's hard to stay angry, thank the gods. Indefinite anger isn't healthy, obviously, but questioning questionable people still is. Steinberg holds himself up as a "gold standard," right? He wanted to run UFO Watchdog at a couple of points. Only in ufology do you get to be the watchdog without a background check. Only in ufology do you get to claim unimpeachable ethical values while shutting down conversations that question them. Well... okay, AND in the Whitehouse. Perhaps Gene was ahead of his time.

Lastly, and really circling back to the first question, what do you mean by, "... a dog in the online UFOlogy hunt, so to speak...."? What is the online ufological hunt? Assuming this isn't an empty metaphor we're supposed to nod along with, what do you have in mind here?

And if anyone else reading this wants to chime in who believes the same, please do. What does anyone think our underlying motivations are when we call out perceived BS?

The fact of the matter is, this is all petty drama. You can either choose to contribute to it, or don't. There are plenty of artists out there who create things in various fields; television, film, music, poetry. Who they are and what they create are entirely two separate things. If the person and any potential activities that can be construed as questionable have little relevance on what they output, then I pose the question: What does it matter?

Gene makes no mention of it on the show. You can freely ignore the emails, the Twitter account, the forums, any other media aside from the show. You would be none the wiser regarding the repulsive activities associated with that person. If you're not a fan of the show, then by all means take part in what ever drama party that happens to crop up. My point is, if the show is a positive factor for the field and offers progress, then the unscrupulous people behind it shouldn't matter, as long as their activities remain separate from it.

It's difficult, I know. It may even sound unreasonable and naive. Your average human loves drama, loves a good scandal, and if there's an opportunity to shed light on what we do in the shadows, it's too hard to pass up.

'Gene makes no mention of it on the show'?What about using the emails from listeners to hit them for cash for over ten years now ?Asking for money to his guests and co-hosts?Really?He can't pay the rent , but shure has Netflix and a BMW , later a Kia Optima.

For some time, the recipients of the newsletter from Gene complained (outside the Paracast forum since Gene would immediately banish and discussion there) how Gene seemed to be using the email addresses of the people who signed up for his newsletter to solicit for aid in his latest crisis. If Gene needs money, he should write an autobiography of all these crisis moments in his life. It would make a riveting read, like the ancient Perils of Pauline.

I was a member of the Paracast for a dozen years or so. When Biedny left I emailed him as to why. He said that Gene was begging him and some of the guests for handouts. He tired of the nonsense and left. I tried to post questions on the Paracast website, but my posts were all deleted. Gene would then berate me by email, basically calling me a scumbag. Wow Gene, I worked a job my entire adult life. I can’t say the same for you.

My take has been that Steinberg would rather doodle behind the keyboard than actually do some labor for his money. It’s much easier to ask for handouts from his Paracast readers. What exactly has Gene done for the past 40 years or more that he is almost living out of his car (by his account)?

What I find laughable is there is never a single mention of paying a single soul back. I asked him why he doesn't work for an Apple store nearby or even a fast food place. He laughed at me and said that was beneath him. I don’t know, if I were destitute I would swallow my pride and take any job to support my family. Not good old Gene. As long as the donations come in he can keep doing what he is doing.

Perhaps he could sell his beloved websites to support himself. Yeah right!!

I trust you are not lumping me into your "wicked little fanboy" comment. I have a low threshold of tolerance for BS, and a well-honed BS meter but I do recognize a positive development when I see one... Say it ain't so Mister Morrison and I'm OK w/ that...

WTF? I've NEVER been "in bed" w/ him. I really resent the implication. I have been woefully underpaid co-host of a popular podcast and more of a victim of Gene's poverty-consciousness than any of you. I really don't appreciate you equating my involvement w/ the show as in any way, shape, or form condoning his panhandling. I should be the one getting thanked and supported, not chastised and have my integrity called into question. In answer to your question, I am no longer co-hosting the show as I have placed my self on indefinite hiatus. Good enough for you? You people really need to get lives... your ugly fascination w/ Steinberg is becoming pathetic. You've made your point, you've tried to ruin him in every way possible, you've slimed me w/ your insinuations and innuendos. You should just let it go already. Why don't you use this same venom and energy to out the real charlatans, hoaxers and liars in the field? Why not go after SDMorton, Wilcock, Goode, Basagio, Eisenhower, Burich, Dames, Weber, Salla, et., al, with the same venom and gusto you're pursuing an old man that can't face up to the fact that he's living beyond his means and has a wife that obviously has him by the short hairs. What is it w/ you guys? WTF already?

Christopher O'Brien, you overreact, which suggests something. It's unavoidable. You're trying to shut down conversation, like Gene does on the forums. Why? By association you have been spattered. Your integrity is in question. Don't like that? There are ways to turn the situation around.

Christopher O'Brien: "WTF? I've NEVER been 'in bed' w/ him. I really resent the implication. I have been woefully underpaid co-host of a popular podcast and more of a victim of Gene's poverty-consciousness than any of you. I really don't appreciate you equating my involvement w/ the show as in any way, shape, or form condoning his panhandling."

Then why have you kept silent on the matter for so long? I believe you first spoke out about a year ago - your objection was buried in some podcast interview from somewhere, however. It's not like you wrote an article for your blog. Now that would have been taking a stand.

Christopher O'Brien: "I should be the one getting thanked and supported, not chastised and have my integrity called into question."

You may feel that way but people are pretty pissed that they've been duped for so long. There are people on this blog making posts who have given Gene money. Anyone associated with Gene gets lumped in with him. Can you blame us for being sore?

Christopher O'Brien: "In answer to your question, I am no longer co-hosting the show as I have placed my self on indefinite hiatus. Good enough for you? "

No, not for me. That's a waffle. You're covering your bases. 'Indefinite' just means you could come back to co-host anytime - next week or never. Unknown. That's not a disassociation. Plus your putting a donate button on the forums - with Gene running interference for you - wtf, man, how do you think that looks? Gene isn't the only one with a blind spot.

You want to know what would make you credible? Do what Biedney did - walk away and don't look back. Speak out against Gene's scamming.

Christopher O'Brien: "You people really need to get lives... your ugly fascination w/ Steinberg is becoming pathetic. You've made your point, you've tried to ruin him in every way possible, you've slimed me w/ your insinuations and innuendos. You should just let it go already. "

Really? People that have given hundreds of dollars - potentially a lot more - over the years - you think they should 'get a life' and 'let it go'? Really? Human nature ain't like that. Gene has gotten a lot of people pissed. He's ruined himself. The patsies that gave him money are waking up. You may characterize it as an "ugly fascination w/ Steinberg becoming pathetic" but quite a few people find Gene's fascination with their money ugly and pathetic. How many people have walked away? How viable are the forums right now? Could someone answer that? How is your donate button doing, Chris? Those who have given significant money across years will not be so forgiving as you wish. Gene has pissed off a lot of people and your stating that they should 'get a life' is insulting (you who whine about being slimed). These sorts of things can fester - wouldn't they for you? Haven't they for you - you who see yourself as taken for a ride by Gene across several years?

Christopher O'Brien: "Why don't you use this same venom and energy to out the real charlatans, hoaxers and liars in the field? Why not go after SDMorton, Wilcock, Goode, Basagio, Eisenhower, Burich, Dames, Weber, Salla, et., al, with the same venom and gusto you're pursuing an old man that can't face up to the fact that he's living beyond his means and has a wife that obviously has him by the short hairs. What is it w/ you guys? WTF already?"

Probably because all the people you mention - while potentially hoaxers - have not been running a money scam with ridiculous personal stories that are patently full-blown lies. Yes, maybe they run 'workshops' but that's not the same thing that Gene is doing. At least a workshop/conference/talk is a service delivered for money down. Gene is doing something quite other than that.

But you deflect. This is not actually about UFOs - or hoaxes. This is about a money scam. And if this blog allowing there to be a platform from which to voice a grievance is the worst of it for Gene, his comeuppance is long overdue. He is shameless. Given what posters are sharing here Gene allows no discussion of this issue on his forum - to the point of banning people. Wtf?

"have not been running a money scam with ridiculous personal stories that are patently full-blown lies."

LOL are you serious? Sean David Morton is serving time in a federal penitentiary for EXACTLY that. Ed Dames has been scamming people for decades with his stupid remote viewing/doomsday crap. Virtually every word out of their mouth is a lie. And there are/were people who were broadcast on national radio semi-regularly versus a niche podcast.

Listen, Steinberg obviously has problems, but he's also nearly what - 80 years old now? With what's one of about a hundred paranormal related podcasts in 2018? Why the obsession?

It's low hanging fruit, is why. It takes no effort and no research, versus actually trying to do something meaningful like study or vet an actual paranormal case.

"It's low hanging fruit, is why. It takes no effort and no research, versus actually trying to do something meaningful like study or vet an actual paranormal case."

That's fair, but I think there's also a weird whack-a-mole aspect to it when it comes to Gene. No matter how clear it is Gene is not just in some temporary unexpected financial hole and could use a little one time help, he's going to portray it that way. Over and over and over, for years, and in thousands of emails.

He keeps at it and now people keep pointing out the craziness of it as well. Gene sends an email, a few people may send him some cash, some others mock his latest effort. It's a price of doing business for him now I think.

Could people better spend their time other ways? Sure, but I think there is also a frustration in many that Gene carries on with such behavior while simultaneously seeing no problem with grilling Bill Knell or being the UFO Watchdog. Not to mention that he is separating people from cash under dubious pretenses. For some of the fed-up-with-Gene crowd it is perhaps akin to bitching about a televangelist soliciting funds?

Whatever dude, I so tired of Gene, his pathetic begging and getting slimed while simply attempting to present quality guests and drill down to the essence of the subject matter covered on the show. I'm NOT shutting down conversations and can appreciate your POV concerning his panhandling. I'm absolutely feuds and through enabling his at best, questionable behavior. I'm as much a victim here as anyone. You can't put a price on 10 years of work the vast majority of it for free. I ain't the bad guy here and I resent your implication to the contrary. If you and others don't like what's been happening, get yourselves together and do a class action suit. If what you say is true, there should be no shortage of duped victims to gather together.As to my own effort to place a triangulated monitoring system in the SLV and making a onetime request for help, there's a big difference to ask for help one-time for a legitimate scientific effort and a decade's-long program of panhandling and scamming. And he's not "running interference for me" as much as you'd like to think so. I AM speaking out against his scamming and I'm waiting for him to retire so that I can rebuild the show, if that's even possible. In the meantime, I will not appear on the Paracast as host. I'm done. I will not give you the satisfaction of going after Steinberg like an attack dog as you are doing. If people are unhappy w/ their dealing w/ him, do something about it! In the meantime, I am working on starting my own show, and when this show debuts I'll make sure I won't invite your lame "anonymous" self to be a guest. You come across so tough when your name isn't attached to your comments. That's the coward's approach in my book.

I appreciate your work in the field, I've always thought the show was a weird combination of Steinberg's lame jokes or irrelevant interjections anecdotes about 'that-one-time' stories when he may have actually known someone in the field or actually worked; and when you actually asked a question related to the subject.

Sometimes I would listen and it would be an hour in with no real questions about anything, and the guy pretty much drove the show off a cliff with his lame tangential stories of once-upon-a-time self importance. It seriously came off half the time like a guy who didn't have anyone to talk to for a week trying to talk about himself, rather than educated questions about the field. I don't see how that didn't drive you crazy, honestly.

If you listen to say, George Knapp, every question has a purpose and he puts the time in and does his work on who his guest is, and what the subject is. It takes time and effort to have an educated opinion, and I think very little. of that was shown by your former co-host.

As regards to your show now, I think the difference now though, is there's about 100 UFO podcasts out there. You could easily find someone to co-host a show with and put it on a Youtube account fairly quickly. Maybe you should try creating an account on the UFOs subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/

There's a lot of solid posters there, including the guy who runs the Black Vault. Keep up the good work, I think your time is better spent with someone else on a podcast.

Sorry Chris. It’s too late. Your reputation is as muddy and dirty as Scheme Gene’s is. Until you publically disavow the paracast and remove all association (including banners and donation links), you are just as GUILTY as Scheme Gene is in perpetuating his con for 12 years. Certainly at least the 5 plus years you’ve been involved. You can’t have it both ways. You think you are taking the high road and are going to fool everyone but we know different. Everyone meet Lyin’ O’Brien. He approves of everything Scheme Gene is doing and sees absolutely nothing wrong with it.

The "ugly fascination" with Gene I think is largely founded on his exhibitions of dishonest and shameless begging. Yes I am sure there are some people who have an axe to grind with him over hurt feelings from the Paracast forum, but after reading the now nearly 300 comments on the two Gene-related posts at this blog, I think most (not all) just think his behavior is bizarre, unethical, and possibly even illegal.

It's really not much surprise to me that if someone sends out such a volume of emails, makes farfetched claims (Twitter account hacked and bank info tweeted? really?) and requests (send those Hurricane to ME here in Arizona!) and persists in unproductive behavior in the face of penury that people would spread the word about him. The population here is I imagine largely folks interested in unsolved mysteries; you may have Gene all figured out but to me the guy defies understanding. There's no one in my 'real life' who would possibly give a shit about his antics but I can occasionally comment here or elsewhere and say good Lord, can you believe his latest? At some point I know I need to just ignore him, since he's not going to stop.

You say Gene "can't face up to the fact that he's living beyond his means and has a wife that obviously has him by the short hairs"; you know Gene far better than I so maybe so. If his wife is in control I find it curious she puts up with his expensive hobbies and tolerates what seem like almost routine evictions. But I do not know the lady.

You say people here have "tried to ruin" Gene. Speaking only for myself I don't want Gene or his hobbies ruined (though he seems to be doing a fair job of tanking himself). The guy is pushing 73. I do wish Gene would just tell the truth and stop claiming to be such a victim.

I do think your statements here about Gene seem a little conflicted. You say you're more of a victim of Gene than anyone else posting here, despite that you seemed to think it valuable enough to you to show up every week for the Paracast for years and years. I'm sure there are people posting here and elsewhere who gave Gene money believing he was temporarily in dire straits, and they expected nothing in return. But OK, let's say their donation doesn't measure out to whatever you judge yourself owed for co-hosting the Paracast for years. Maybe you feel or felt bad for Gene and didn't want to 'abandon him' for a long time, I do not know. You say you are speaking out against his scamming (your word, scamming - indeed "decades-long program of panhandling and scamming") but seem upset with others here also calling him out. Do you really believe there is a chance in the world he is going to change his ways? I don't, not without some change to his circumstances (which I am in no way attempting to engineer - I only believe in relaying the truth about him, I fully support these records of his emails being available). But again, you know Gene a hell of a lot better than I ever will.

I had a hater claim I paid to be admin and I'm "in bed" with gene! Enough! I responded to that hate filled post. These ppl mean only to hurt and destroy me and Gene. They have called me a homo for Gene. I am UPSET. Go away. The online hater/hacker pack that has attacked me and Gene is now going after the network to complain about our shows. ENUOGH ALLREADY!!!

You have driven Christopher O'Brien into hatehood over Gene and me too.

You're the the same guy who said his oldest kid got a job at McDonald's when your family ran into financial troubles and that "it took months but we recovered." I'm wondering why you rightfully praise them for pulling themselves up by the bootstraps during a financially difficult time, but are willing to give Gene a pass for not doing the same himself?

The man has been begging for money for over a decade. You and your family managed to straighten things out by being responsible adults. Perhaps that is what your hero Gene should try doing instead of relying on sycophantic morons and sympathetic dupes to bail him out time after time.

had a hater claim I paid to be admin and I'm "in bed" with gene! Enough! I responded to that hate filled post. These ppl mean only to hurt and destroy me and Gene. They have called me a homo for Gene. I am UPSET. Go away. The online hater/hacker pack that has attacked me and Gene is now going after the network to complain about our shows. ENUOGH ALLREADY!!!

You have driven Christopher O'Brien into hatehood over Gene and me too.

Chris, just for the record, I'm SheaOlmsford (or something like that) on the Paracast forum and sent you the private messages there. In case you come back here, you have put your comments on the first article about Gene. Actually, Jack Brewer created an UPDATE article later in the year that is still active. This one was pretty dead until you responded here. I would propose that Jack Brewer move your new comments to that second article comments section to give it continuity. That is also where I did say that I believe it makes perfect sense for you to have a link on the Paracast to your endeavor since your project has been profiled on Paracast episodes and the forum in the past. I look forward to see what kind of show you will do when unfettered by Gene Steinberg as official commercial time keeper and teller of the lame jokes. Maybe you can find some people to interview of value who are under 65 years old (and spend the episode talking about the good old days with Gene back in the 60's when ufos were real ufos and ufo researchers were real ufo researchers). LOL

I do want to respond to one comment Chris O'Brien made about being anonymous. Well, I have a moniker so at least I am not literally anonymous. I think a problem I and perhaps others have with being frank about who we are is that Gene has already threatened me in private emails of legal action if I say another thing disparaging of his pristine reputation. He saber rattles with legal action all the time, and for all I know he is mentally unbalanced enough to do it, putting my life into a talespin since I just had my thyroid removed due to cancer and am recovering from radiation treatments which wiped me out. The least thing I need (since I live in Phoenix) is that madman trying to extort money from me with threatened legal action. So I do not use my name. When I talked to Gene's current "favorite son" Goggs Mackay he was spouting the company line about how I needed to give him my real name. This was the same day that Gene was ranting on the forum about "evil hackers" and evil people conspiring against him locally in Phoenix with his pristine driving reputation. I will state for the record I have not hacked anything and do not believe that anyone has ever hacked Gene's accounts in his entire life. Nor do I think there is a big conspiracy behind 1 customer complaining about his driving. But I am not going to set myself out there as a patsy for him to vent upon. I do not think the man is playing with a full deck. It would seem fool hardy for anyone here to use their full name unless they were a celebrity. Gene is just crazy enough to go after anyone who used their full name.

Jack Brewer, I wish you would move or copy/paste all this into the more recent comments section since starting a dual thread on this earlier article just will make a mess.

Yes. Gene makes all kind of wild accusations then gets on his high horse because people comment anonymously. I agree with you, no one wants to be the target of even a frivolous lawsuit from this paranoid schemer. And it’s not like people calling him out with their real name attached (Jeremy Vaeni) make any difference to him. Any stick is good enough to grab when Gene needs to try to beat down the truth.

Of course, you have to ask yourself if Gene really wants more scrutiny from “the authorities” he claims to be reporting people to. Or will he soon be begging to fund legal action?

(send those Hurricane to ME here in Arizona!) -> (send those Hurricane Harvey donations to ME here in Arizona!)

and long as I am at it: despite Gene's paranoid and / or opportunistic insistence there is an online "pack of haters" baying at his heels, speaking for myself at worst I feel contempt for him. Most of the time for me it's bemused disbelief, sometimes disgust, frustration, then occasionally a little fear and worry when he veers off into one of his paranoid tangents and seems like he might have genuinely lost it. Now and then his emails make me hope that if I make it to his age I avoid a fate that involves asking others for money on a near-constant basis. I can't imagine living that way but perhaps at one point neither could Gene. From reports he's been inappropriately asking for money (not referring to his email 'appeals' here) since at least 2004.

Gene asked me for money in the Spring of 2004 online in an email. He needed a few hundred dollars to see him over the weekend since his wife had screwed up their bank account, they had zero cash and no groceries in the house. I never wrote back. Is Gene's life the result of refusing to work for "The Man' and being an independent self-employed rebel? So you end up grubbing for money as an old man? I am waiting for Gene to reach the point where he stands at the stop light of a freeway exit and holds a sign "Veteran. Need cash now for food".

I learned how to do this at an early age. I've got a natural ability to talk people into things. Growing up in Brooklyn in the 1970s, people called me Fonzie; they would say, "Hey, Fonzie, that mouth of yours is gonna make you a million dollars someday."

In my neighborhood, 500 families lived on my street, giving me a lot of parents to manipulate. You learned what works. I played the heartstrings; I intimidated; I made people feel bad for me. Whether it was manipulating my three older sisters or convincing the neighbor lady that I needed one more ice-cream bar from the Mister Softee truck, I always knew what to say. And as I got older, I got better....

cc, you are absolutely right. I moved to Phoenix in 2004 and have always assumed in retrospect that I immediately contacted Gene via email because I was excited to live in the same city as the creator of the Paracast. But I must have done so in 2006. I am glad you pointed this out to me. I do not have the original emails (who knew it would become a long running scandal?). But I was able to get his email address and said that I would like to meet him and give him a DVD I custom made of UFO related information. Almost immediately, Gene wrote back ignoring my gift suggestion and asking me for hundreds of dollars to tied him over the weekend because his wife had screwed up their bank account and they had no money in the bank. I truly wish I had the original emails but again I never dreamed Gene would make a cottage industry out of all this begging. I am sorry that I got the date wrong. All I can now guess is that it was in 2006.

It is interesting that the inheritance 'fake' - going by what Gene has just posted - actually does work for the IRS (according to Gene - though how he thinks he would 'verify' that I don't know). However, if someone from the IRS is engaged with Gene - if I were Gene - I would be concerned. Gene may be being investigated by the IRS - if so would they do something like that? - pure speculation on my part. I continue to be amazed at what info Gene shares - thinking it's proof of something that makes him look 'smart' or victimized when all it does is make him look foolish (at best).

Basically someone posted something on Usenet back in 1995 that crappy AOL screwed up their hard drive - which isn't surprising to anyone who grew up or went through the 90s. America Online was monumental in its horrible service as well as its eventual collapse.

So Gene Steinberg, actually working and writing AOL how-to manuals at the time, shows up to defend AOL with an insulting email and then sent the person's ISP/Postmaster (ah the good old days) an email stating they insulted him and lied on Usenet (lol.)

That's pretty impressive for a guy who was probably around 50 at the time to be inciting flame wars.

Also pretty amazing someone has paid or kept the domain for that website for 20 plus years and it's still up live and not some internet archive.

Found another link on that thread you sent. Check this one out: http://www.aolwatch.org/gene.htm Looks like Gene has been peddling conspiracy theories and playing the victim since at least 1995. Maybe longer. That’s 23 years of this!!! He’s perfected his scam since the dialup BBS and Usenet days. Time magazine even took note.

And Gene also makes an appearance again here 20+ years ago. http://www.aolwatch.org/comments.htm#newercomments

It’s obvious this man has never held a real job. No wonder his social security checks are so small. He plays on the computer all day and harrasses people because he has to nurse his frail ego and small appendages. Gene has no intention to ever work. He already has a job...BEGGING FOR MONEY

TEXT from the 1995 site: "You can have posts removed for expressing anti-AOL sentiments, or asking critical questions of AOL, or touching upon sensitive areas that AOL doesn't want discussed. [...] You forget, Gene, I used to work with the people who removed these posts. They aren't concerned with etiquette, freedom of expression, or the marketplace of ideas. They're concerned with their agenda, making sure that only the 'correct' ideas have a place for display."

Sounds so familiar - it's as tho Gene learned his basic MO from the Usenet days with AOL. He applies it liberally with a broad brush now.

Gene definitely saw a 'cash cow' with a chat site and podcast devoted to UFOlogy. Biedney was the unwitting chump that gave Gene credibility. Bravo to Biedney for speaking out and walking out once he saw what was going on in 2010. Boo to those who have seen but have equivocated and stuck around.

Most all comments made about Gene on the internet from 20 years ago and 10 years ago and 5 years ago continue to apply and sound as fresh and relevant today as they did when they were first written. Nothing has changed. The scam goes on.

He has a whole series archived on that site it was so bad. Here's another:

http://www.aolwatch.org/gene4.htm

He would literally harass people by email (which was public in Usenet signatures) questioning when someone dare complained about things like AOL charging them because they went over their '10 free hours' back in the day, when their legendarily horrible customer service lied to them over the phone.

There's some irony in this quote from Gene:

" ... if you ran over your 10 hour limit, you are obligated to pay the monthly fee (since you have, in effect activated the paying portion of your membership). "

The irony of someone lecturing others about obligations when he went on to get evicted several times for not paying his rent.

Date: Wed, 13 Sep 1995 19:26:54 -0400From: Gene@aol.com"For the record: I consider your statements about me and America Online to be harassment and of a treatening nature, and I ask that you not speak of me publicly nor send me private e-mail any further."http://www.aolwatch.org/gene2.htm

Date: A few hours ago"My situation isn't being made any better by that crazy pack of online haters that are getting more and more blatant trying to harm my ability to make a living. Despite the threats .."https://twitter.com/SchemeGeneRC/status/1001475489465282560

"Gene is up to something about sing Barbara's alias." I can only speculate, but perhaps that is how Gene found a new landlord willing to rent to him - just as Grayson's name was used before his last eviction. Just speculation, but if a new eviction occurs it might be something to check in the court's docket

What is Chris lying about? Wondering.....not saying he isn't. Just wondering what you see. For myself I am puzzled by Chris' exit-not-quite-exit....what's that? He's still listed as an admin on the Paracast Forum, and claims his absence is not permanent but for an 'indefinite' amount of time. Straddling the fence.

Gene writes on his 'Attack' thread: "The motives behind this unhealthy obsession make no sense to me. I don't know most of these people, and barely know almost all of the rest of this pack. I'm only aware of a very few that I've had any sort of contact with beyond maybe one or two messages over the last 12 years, if that."

!. The cause of the 'obsession' is years of Gene's begging for money for 'momentary emergencies' to which people gave their money - some gave lots of money - and some were told they would be paid back. Never happened - and the emergencies continued year after year, never ending. Gene needs to accept that he told many people he would pay them back and he never did - they are pissed! That's reason enough to be 'obsessed'. Gene, you are de-frauding people.

2. Gene, you know most all in 'this pack'. They gave you money. How rude! To put it mildly. Don't you get it? Across all these years you have a sizable group of people who are pissed that you misled them and got their money under false pretenses. You know us - oh yes you do!

3. You have had plenty of contact with most of the names in this conversation - you spent a lot of time having on-line conversations about it all. Why do you lie? Because it works. Your audience is on the forums and the newbies there don't go in search of the on-line information about you and take what you say at face value. But one day they will realize they've been taken for a ride and will join 'the pack'.

Dude, I don't know who you are but I am NOT a liar and I do NOT support Sternberg's choices in life pertaining to income producing schemes. I AM A VICTIM here, don't forget that you anonymous whiner! Funny how my comments are not being posted so that this little circle jerk can continue without hearing from someone who has been directly affected by this sad situation. WTF Jack! Why aren't you posting my comments?

I reject a very small percentage of comments. I don't recall any of yours falling in that category.

Some things that might be helpful to those having difficulty finding their comments:

First, make sure you're looking in under the correct post (There was an initial post on Steinberg's email campaigns and then a second post for updates).

Second, there have been a high volume of comments, so readers might have to scroll all the way to the bottom of the comments section and click "load more" to see the latter remarks.

Lastly, Blogger recently announced it no longer is compatible with Open ID (no comments any longer). Various browsers also have more difficulty than others on some blogs, so if nothing else works, maybe try another browser. It's all a work in progress.

You obviously approve of what Gene is doing. Your banners are all over the Paracast and you continue to be associated with the show. Gene can no longer claim there is a difference between him asking for money privately and the paracast itself, when he now emails the paracast list directly.

When his personal list ran out of suckers, he went to his other email lists. And he begs on the paracast twitter accounts and all over the paracast website.

If you're associated in any way with the paracast, you are part of the scheme. There is no distancing yourself. It's one massive fraud.

Chris, you have absolutely no reputation or credibility left. Gene's mud is on you. You got in bed with him.

Read the thread. Gene's got over 30 separate income streams. And, are we to believe, you didn't get a penny? You've been working with Gene and hosting for over 5 years. He never threw you a dime? Then where did all the fraud money go? Hmmmmm...

Anyone who doubts the Paracast is cover for a scam need only read Gene's own words.

Gene uses his Paracast email list to defraud people, and writes checks to his landlord which he knows he does not have the money to cover. That's theft plain and simple. And it's a felony.

Gene flatly admits this to his newsletter readers, (in an attempt to shake everybody down for money and make people feel bad for him because he is going to bounce yet another check). It's a pressure-tactic to get people to cough-up the cash.

It's everyone else's fault, Gene can't or won't pay his bills or rent to the "slumlord landlord" or the newest, "faceless corporation" (as he calls them). And Gene's been evicted more than 3 times.

Gene even ruined his son's credit when Grayson's name and social security number was used to acquire the last lease. That's pretty low when you ruin your own son financially. The evidence is all there in the Arizona online court documents. Grayson is listed as being evicted. His name was on Gene's lease.

What more proof do you need, Chris?

You are part of the problem for enabling Gene and perpetuating his scheme. You give Gene the credibility he needs to continue to lie, cheat and steal. The "gold standard" of fraud.

No wonder they call you, "Lying O'Brien". A suitable moniker and title. I hope you wear it with pride. You've earned it.

I admonished Goggs MacKay quite severely in a private message. The next time I accessed Paracast Plus (which is prepaid through October 2018) I was non-existent. No recognition of my account. This childish revenge is quite silly since I seldom listen to the Paracast anymore, but it is also illegal. I paid almost through 2018 and now have been cut off. How vindictive and childish can this Paracast crew get?

You should file a chargeback dispute through your credit card or Paypal account and take screens that your signup email is no longer registered and was deleted. You would almost certainly win the dispute.

It's illegal for a business selling subscriptions to take money, then not fulfill their services. Gene needs to either refund your full (or at least partial) subscription or re-instate it. You paid for a service and deserve what you paid for. He cannot simply delete you because he does not agree with your opinions. The Attorney General regularly goes after gyms and other subscription-based businesses for similar activity. Maybe you should give them a call and see what they can do? Don't be taken advantage of. You paid the money and deserve what you paid for.

And Lying O’Brien thinking that he is going to take over the Paracast and rebuild the show when Scheme Gene gets beamed up, is totally delusional. Gene will never let you have it from his grubby mitts.

Chris, you were a tool on the show. Just like Biedny. Both used as patsys and fall men in Scheme Gene’s web of financial lies.

How many hours a week do you drive for Uber and Lyft? How many phone calls have you made to sell advertising on The Paracast? How many resumes have you sent out to find additional income? How many job interviews have you gone one?

If you’re asking people for money to support you “temporarily” while you get back on your feet, I believe these are all valid questions. Your audience is not a bottomless pit of money. The people who want to support you certainly can, but they also deserve to know the truth and what you’re doing to improve your situation. After 10 years the answer appears to be ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

You know what his response will be to all of these. Let me try my best impression:

1. I drive no more than four hours a day, because once rush hour traffic happens in the work week it makes it impossible and not worth it to continue after that point. Not to mention the higher percentage of accidents that happen and already having a windshield claim, I can't afford to risk more than four hours a day on dangerous roads.

2. The advertising market has dried up. At once time we had an advertising guy who volunteered, but after the recession those companies just have no come back. Not to mention the haters in this comment section have driven away all potential business.

3 & 4 - Unfortunately at my age all potential openings are filled by younger people, and with my background in radio, it is a dying field with iHeartMedia's bankruptcy.

Here, we see he was suing General Motors back in 2002. Was this the lawsuit in question? Was Gene funding this case, hoping for a big pay day from GM? Is that where all his money went and why he has none?

Was the whole story about his disabled brother in law a farce? Maybe that's why Barbara's sister won't take them in? Because, it was all made-up and never happened.

Thanks for providing that link to the lawsuit. I believe that Mr. Graham is the previous landlord. You know, the landlord for the nice gated community house that Gene lived in while he cried that he needed money. Ugh...

Gene lived in a trailer previously from the “slumlord” landlord and moved into the gated community run by the “faceless corporation”. Meanwhile, with “The Constable” hot on their tales, Barbara on the toilet, and Teddy Bear chopping on the bit, they were forced to leave and ended up in some “cheap motels” until they found another place to live. How can people live like this?! Where is all the money and donations going? Obviously not to pay the bills.

Anyone waiting to "take over" the Paracast seems delusional at best because Gene is going to keep it going until he is not physically able to do so (while sitting in a chair announcing commercial breaks as the co-host does the entire interview for free). Gene could maintain ownership of Paracast for another 10 to 15 years for all we know. Seems like a long wait just for your "big break" into show business. Why not start your own program? There are some mighty powerful well known podcasts now on KGRA and all over the YOUTUBE. Why would anyone just wait, wait, wait to take over an old dinosaur like the Paracast? In the 21st century world where paranormal podcasts are a dime a dozen, show some initiative and just start your own show and create your own website. If you can't do it, hire some teenager to do it for you.

I agree with you that people may as well just start their own podcast, but that dime a dozen factor may explain why some people like the idea of picking up something that already has an audience, an established forum, etc.

I also strongly agree Gene is not likely to give the show up unless someone literally pays him a fortune for it (arguably he has shown himself willing to be homeless before giving up his podcasting hobbies). But it is a point of pride for me that my mind does not work like Gene's, so hey, who knows what he might really do.

Broadcasting is not in my blood. I actually did create 5 YOUTUBE videos of my alien, ufo and other paranormal experiences over my life time. But I felt very vulnerable so I took them down. Also, in watching myself, I felt that I was coming off as a doddering old fool. One way to see what others see is in a photo or video, since the mirror lies.

Here’s a show for ya! How about a movie starring Porno Bob, Paranormal Davey and Teddy Bear? I’m getting a road trip vibe mixed with a rags to riches story with lots of adventure, the occasional mishap, and hijinks ensue! They try to criss cross the country using Uber and mistakenly get into David Biedny’s cab. Gene follows chase using Lyft. Meanwhile Barbara gets her big break as a handbag designer on Project Runway as Gene, David, Porno Bob, Paranormal Davey, and Teddy Bear arrive just in time for the results of the show. Chris O’Brien ends the movie when it’s revealed he was one of the secret guest judges and Barbara had it “in the bag” all along. Hearty yuck yucks ensue.

This speaks volumes about Gene's character and motives. It’s all about money, money, money. His cohosts do all the work while he cries poverty and conjures story after story. It took David Biedny about 4 years to figure it out and Chris O’Brien about 10.

If Chris is such a victim why does he continue to participate in the paracast forums and hint that his absence may be only "temporary"? Until he leaves permanently and breaks all association with the para-CON, the stench of desperation and Gene Steinberg will continue to follow him.

Here's another classic Gene exchange. He goes on Google's Webmaster Help forum, then berates and abuses people who try to help him. The thread is crazy. It's ends with a pithy response. This is how Gene treats everyone and subjects them to his own self-entitlement and thinks the world owes him and his shit doesn't stink.

----------------------------------------------Gene Steinberg said:Your language for your first comment was imprecise, so settle down. OK. so you're saying that all ads must have nofollow, even if we are using the code that is generated and required by the advertiser? Some of them, such as Google, and Citrix, provide their own scripts. So we must modify THEIR scripts somehow to be legal by Google, even for Google's own ads?

You're saying that any link to another site that doesn't contain nofollow is "unnatural"? Obviously, we cannot control what's in our forums, which have many links from members that appear to be benign, such as YouTube.

It appears Google's complaint is that we are doing things to unnaturally inflate the site's ranking on Google. But we have another site with similar code attributes that Google never complained about. So I find the whole thing very curious indeed. Besides, as I said, if we're running the script from an advertiser, we have no way to modify that to add different components.

Gene

----------------------------------------------

Gene Steinberg said:So in the end, the problem is that Google's system can tell you there's a problem, but not tell you WHAT it is. Go figure it out for yourself, they say. Unfortunately, such things are due to a total lack of communication, and from this forum I see the lack of communication skills is common. No offense intended, but I speak as someone who has been a professional writer for several decades.

It would be simpler to just feed back a little source of an allegedly offending site, making the stuff that they regard as wrong. It would save a lot of aggravation.

Gene----------------------------------------------

Gene Steinberg said:Which I would award to you for your dumb comment and your lack of ability to understand the actual problem and the source.

Even better, let's make you a contender for dunce of the year for living in a tiny world where you evidently don't get out very often. I'm not taking crap from you or anyone.

So let's deal with what really happened.

1. I am not a Webmaster, and don't play one on TV.2. Google's system of reporting mistakes is faulty, because it doesn't explain what the mistake actually is, so you can be forced into the wrong direction to fix it.3. "Luzie" clearly has some problem communicating with people, since the first comment, voiced in an offensive fashion, conveyed the opposite impression to what was intended.4. As I said, I use a WordPress SEO plugin that's supposed to engage "nofollow" commands. Unfortunately, after looking things over, it appears that it doesn't work with certain types of ad links. In looking over the missed ad codes, I was able to manually code the correct command on most of them.

However, had Google's initial report been properly formatted and written, the issue would have been resolved in short order.

Gene Steinberg----------------------------------------------Gene Steinberg said:Thanks for providing a real response without the juvenile insults.

Anyway, it's time that I make a few phone calls, so that the NSA's file database can grow appropriately.

It's odd looking up his history of posting, how he is the rare combination of sanctimonious while at the same time asking for others assistance.

How dare Google Analytics block my ad revenue when I've done no absolutely no research, am not a webmaster, and insult others while asking for help, for a service I've willingly signed up for! Time to report you to AOL/NSA/Uber!

Gene also moonlights as his alter-ego "Captain Marvel" on Web Hosting Talk. Here, he gives advice to a newbie regarding web hosting and talks about how a bad reputation can quickly sink a business. Too bad Gene doesn't take his own advice.

"I'm not happy about him or way HostICan treats customers, and I do sympathize with those of you who are having problems. Although no company is perfect, getting a bad rap for service and support can quickly bury any business.

Fortunately, there are loads of other Web hosts who are happy to have your business, and I hope those of you owed refunds and commissions will soon get satisfaction. Maybe the force of public disclosure will help."

His most recent troubles with yet another eviction and a chat site moving at a glacial pace with posters - one senses he is slipping - and I do feel sorry for him. What a hard fall. It's not like he didn't know what was coming. So many - including me - tried to tell him, discreetly, via pm, but he could not hear. It is hard to watch.

You may be saying what you are tongue in cheek, but I'm rooting for him. This is good. After all - at least he is selling something and not begging. Well played, indeed. If he needs $7,500 (as someone said was the current figure) then he just needs 20-21 people to buy a lifetime up-front. Though with a stagnant forum.....

Thing is though he has to get the future figured out. He's got to have a real plan that doesn't involve begging. Wonder if Gene can paint? Painted desert landscapes in a tourist area might go for $100 a pop - not bad.

I love how Gene Steinberg now says he "can't earn a living" because the "pack of haters" are after him by exposing his lies, and people won't "donate".

Sorry, but making up lies and sob stories and not paying your rent for 12 plus years, to create sympathy and pity from unwitting listeners, isn't a business model. It's a scam.

A business model is where you offer something of VALUE to people. You create an audience, you sell advertising, you sell premium access. Gene has done none of this.

His business model is to lie, cheat, steal and to beg, beg, beg with the hope of duping some new suckers on his email list.

Gene, how many phone calls have you made to potential advertisers? How many ads have you actually sold yourself? Why are you waiting for someone else to work for YOU for FREE? Go sell your own fucking ads. Or have Barbara help you. What the hell is she doing to help your financial situation? It's time to shit or get off the pot. She better get moving.

This is Gene Steinberg's and The Paracast's legacy. Gene will alway be known as a scam begger, a UFO hustler, and a con man. With over 12 years and nearly 1,500 email cash solicitations as proof of someone so lazy and an ego so big, Gene would rather get evicted 4 times, instead of getting a fucking job like everyone else.

History always remembers and never forgets. I hope you're proud of what you've become.

You love to call-out others in the UFO field, and now we're calling out YOU.

Somebody posted a link a little while ago showing that the Steinbergs were in Court and a Writ of Garnishment was ordered for about $36,000. So. Garnished wages? Apparently not for old Gene. Or for Barbara. They both refuse to work so that they can get away with not paying what they owe. They would rather be homeless than pay what they owe.At least that's how I see it. Gene and Barbara think it is perfectly fine to steal money. They stiff landlords out of months of rent and have to be dragged into Court over and over. They steal, they lie, and attempt to destroy anyone who calls them out or question them.Their son is in Spain and won't take them in come Hell or high water, and he's absolutely right. They would crash in on him and destroy his and his family's lives. Sister Helene won't take them, either, and there is no reason other than her resolute refusal. She also sees the trouble she'd have with them.When all these solicitations began Gene was not old. He was middle aged, and Barbara was even younger. (And he likely has played this pattern out his entire adult life.) He can cry and play the "old man card" all day, but he wasn't old when he began all this. Not even close.He's not some innocent and naive guy who can't catch a break; he's an evil, manipulating schemer and thief who will never, ever stop. Question him and you are banned. Challenge him and he'll stop at nothing to destroy and bully you. Stop bowing and scraping and he'll cut you loose without a second thought.I don't believe for a moment that Gene Steinberg is a hapless and bumbling innocent. He's rotten, and downright evil. Steer clear of him.

Jacques Vallee is turning 79 in a couple months, and is still as active as ever doing research and writing books. Stanton Friedman is turning 84 next month and is just now retiring.

There's examples in this very field of individuals in an advanced age keeping their mind and focus sharp and still doing good work instead of being defeatist. I mean is there a rule once you turn a certain age, you can never learn anything new ever again or do your own research?

See, this is the problem, Captain Marvel: Begging is not "earning a living". Big difference. Begging for fifteen years, then being offended when criticized for begging just compounds the sleaze.

I'm amazed any decent person will go on your show. Like many other honest and competent people familiar with the situation, I am beginning to wonder about some of your guests that I had thought were reputable and honest themselves.

Wow this is fascinating research. Explains why neither of them will work and get a real job. I guess you can’t garnish Uber and Lyft wages because they are not technically employees. I don’t think Gene has ever had a real job. Writing and freelancing is all he knows. Why doesn’t he go back to writing books? Because he makes too much money writing scam emails and begging!!!

Yes, I am rather shocked by Greg Bishop's undying support for Gene, appearing as the guest in today's PARACAST adventure. Then Gene and Greg, total buddies, shoot the breeze another 30 to 45 minutes on AFTER THE PARACAST, the Premium service which I paid for but do not yet have access to since daring to confront Goggs MacKay about Gene's begging. s

I don't get how the guy can state he's on the verge of homelessness and being evicted, then goto a hotel for two or three weeks paying around $100 a night, until he can find an apartment that costs $1000 a month!

Here's a thought: Goto Craigslist. Set the location, and set the max price as, oh, $700:

Any person with common sense would be looking to find ANYWHERE to stay to get out of this situation, but apparently beggars can be choosers. It's no wonder he never lists his revenue or expenses, and if he's doing all this to take money from people, chances are he's probably doing the same on his taxes.

Phoenix is a giant city, 5th largest in the USA. There is a large "snow bird" population of people who come here in the winter and stay until the next summer. Many of these folks have accommodations in trailer parks. I suspect Gene and Barbara could easily find a much cheaper rental in one of these parks during the hot months. In fact, why not buy a used trailer if finances are in such dire shape? Too low class for Gene?

Every guest that has ever appeared on The Paracast is just as guilty as Gene Steinberg in perpetuating this fraud. They are also part of the scam by enabling Gene by not speaking out and letting this theft by deception to continue. GCN, Christopher O’Brien, and even David Biedny also share in the blame. As does Grayson Steinberg and Barbara Steinberg. All are co-conspirators in Gene’s web of lies. That Rockoids woman needs to save the world and rid this evil.

That is harsh and unfair. If some celebrity in ufology accepts a guest invitation to the Paracast, they probably have no idea what Gene's been up to. It is just another gig to promote their book or website. David was with the Paracast in the beginning of Gene's begging. He had no idea it would become an obsession lasting over 12+ years. When David realized the begging was there to stay, he walked out. We also have no idea what Grayson is like. Afterall, he is off in Spain. If you wanted to get away from clinging money hungry parents, that should do it!

Another site had a long list of Gene's excuses over the years. See below:

In no particular order…

* He lent one of his relatives all of his money and Gene needs your money.* He’s waiting for a payment from a family member’s lawsuit and Gene needs your money.* A disabled relative needed money for an operation and Gene needs your money.* Someone hacked into his bank accounts and Gene needs your money.* Someone hacked into his bank accounts again and Gene needs your money.* His wife gave someone their bank account information and her accounts were hacked and Gene needs your money.* Gene’s paypal account was hacked and Gene needs your money.* He had a slumlord landlord who demanded to be paid rent and Gene needs your money.* He had another slumlord landord who demanded to be paid rent and Gene needs your money.* The trailer he was living in was being sold and Gene needs your money.* The apartment complex he is living in is being sold and Gene needs your money.* He was in a car accident when driving with Uber and Gene needs your money.* He legs were shakey and he almost collapsed at the store and Gene needs your money.* He has no money for groceries and Gene needs your money.* He has no money for Barbara’s meds and Gene needs your money.* He needs to pay his son, Grayson back money that he borrowed from him and Gene needs your money.* He needs money for movers and Gene needs your money.* The movers ripped him off and he’s broke and Gene needs your money.* An advertiser stiffed-him and he wasn’t paid and Gene needs your money.* His wife needs money for her purse business and Gene needs your money.* He’s going to start a charity fund to help others in need like him and Gene needs your money.* His car died (remember the Kia?!) and Gene needs your money.* His GoFundMe page got cancelled and Gene needs your money.* He’s considering moving to another state and Gene needs your money.* Him and Barbara might have to get divorced and Gene needs your money.* The electric company is going to shut off his power, and other utilities are owed and Gene needs your money.* He’s going to die in 110 degree Arizona heat without AC, and Gene needs your money.* The constable is going to show up and throw his ass out and Gene needs your money.* Legal charges for being late on rent are eating up his money, and Gene needs your money.* His health insurance is being cut off and Gene needs your money.* Barbara’s health insurance is being cut off and Gene needs your money.* Barbara needs an operation on her anus from straining to use the toilet and Gene needs your money.* He has toothwork and has dental bills to pay and Gene needs your money.* He goes to an expensive chiropractor and his back problems and Gene needs your money.* The radio network refuses to pay him and Gene needs your money.* He’s waiting for the Better Business Bureau to help him get money back from greedy movers and Gene needs your money.* Gene went to the doctor and he had an irregular heartbeat and Gene needs your money.* His paracast youtube channel isn’t generating money fast enough and Gene needs your money.* His premium paracast subscriptions are coming in but not fast enough and Gene needs your money.* Evil obamacare raised their premiums and Gene needs your money.* Barbara needs money for expensive eye drops and Gene needs your money.* Charity agencies turned him down and Gene needs your money.* Barbara has a broken knee and Gene needs your money.* Grayson is broke and Gene needs your money.* His rich sister won’t help him and Gene needs your money.* Rent is past due and Gene needs your money.* Rent is past due again and Gene needs your money.* Rent is past due again and Gene needs your money.* Rent is past due again and Gene needs your money.

From the archives, September 2010, we bring you this Gene email. See any similarities to today? Same old Gene, same old con. The language is almost identical even 8 years later.

-------------------------------------------------

Sept 13, 2010: The Struggle Continues!

Hello Friends,

Once again, I am heartened by your generous response to my ongoing pleas for financial help. I still need to cover the remainder of our electric bill by Tuesday, and I have that dreaded five-day notice from the rental office. It means pay up or prepare to leave; the next step is to send a notice about an eviction hearing. As I said, tenants in Arizona have no rights.

I also realize you have received many fraudulent requests for money supposedly coming from people you know. But this request is real! My actual mailing address (where I receive both home and business mail) is at the end of this newsletter, and if you want to talk to me in person, just send me a note and I'll give you my phone number so you can confirm everything for yourself.

Some of you have also asked why this ordeal has persisted for so long, here's the brief recap:

My family confronted a six-figure medical bill as the result of several surgeries involving my wife and myself. Our insurance carrier, Humana, fought these payments tooth and nail, claiming preexisting conditions and so on and so forth. They're wrong, but the bills still had to be paid while the matter is being considered, reconsidered, and reconsidered yet again. Since my wife continues to receive care for her eye surgeries, the physician expects at least a good faith payment for every visit to his office.

As the result of those bills, plus the debts caused by a fraudulent bank transaction made by a former client, my personal finances have been thoroughly depleted.

This summer, my radio shows went into syndication, but we are only paid for the ads we generate, and the payments for the first group of those ads won'™t arrive until late this month at the earliest. We are also due to receive a reasonably large sum of money from my sister-in-law, once ongoing litigation over an investment portfolio is resolved, but the exact date remains uncertain; it may not happen until next month.

To those who suggest I should just get a job, well I have three. And an extra part-time gig in this economy is near impossible to get, unfortunately.

I also realize that some of you think it's inappropriate to ask for help, so if you don't want to hear about my problems anymore, just Unsubscribe. I understand that you probably have your own concerns to handle ahead of mine.

Yes, I have contacted state and local agencies -- and even some religious organizations -- and they all said they were financially strapped. I have an appointment with one organization here in Arizona that might provide financial assistance, but the earliest appointment they could make was in late September.

Here's how you can help, and the need remains critical:

If you are able to assist, you may send your donation via PayPal to [REMOVED]. Or use this direct link: [REMOVED]. If you're not a PayPal member, not to worry. You can fund your payment with a major credit card using that very same link.

Please write me directly if you wish to use a different payment method, such as a wire transfer to my bank account or a Western Union transfer. If anyone is willing to bankroll the entire sum, I'd be willing to work out a loan arrangement with a reasonable payback plan.

Once this situation is resolved, all the donation links will be removed from my sites; I never want to be in a position to have to ask anyone for help ever again. I also plan to set up a site to help others who are facing severe financial distress. I have already been in touch with one of my readers, who has offered some useful suggestions in making this happen soon.

From November 24, 2014 the archives bring you the infamous email with the first mention of Mrs. Steinberg's fledgling purse business. There were 2 more mentions after that. The storyline lasted into the end of December. I guess it didn't pan out, so Gene dropped it.-----------------------------------------------

November 24, 2014: Promises And Needs!

Hello,

I have a lot on my plate ahead of Thanksgiving, so I’m reaching out to you again.

But first a progress report. We’ve begun to heavily promote the premium package (“Plus”) for The Tech Night Owl LIVE and The Paracast. Initial response to receiving ad-free versions of the two radio shows has been encouraging, but it will take weeks before the subscription level is high enough to make a significant difference. It looks positive.

Second: Despite Mrs. Steinberg’s health issues over the years, she’s eager to establish a home-based business with her sister (recently widowed). They hope to sell women’s accessories, such as handbags, first on eBay. They’ve located a China-based manufacturer with low prices and fashionable goods, but are in need of business advice about promotion and pricing. Obviously they are doing this on a shoestring at first.

What this means is that there’s plenty of potential to end the financial misery.

Right now, though, the money emergencies won’t wait. The landlord is waiting for yet another payment to get me off his “evict” list. He is demanding the remainder before Thanksgiving. That catches me up ahead of December. I don’t need to tell you the consequences if I don’t pay.

I have one more electric bill to cover, the water bill has a November 24th shutoff notice — in other words today, by 6 PM Arizona time — and I must pay that and other critical bills to keep afloat.

If you feel you can help, please send a payment via PayPal. You may send it to [REMOVED] or use a Donation button on any of my sites.

If you have any questions about my situation, or need more information about specific bills, let me know. I won’t hold anything back, and I know some of you wonder whether these requests are real, so you deserve to know the truth.

But if you feel you’ve done enough, feel free to Unsubscribe. I don’t wish to annoy anyone.

I’m happy to report steady progress towards my long-term financial survival. The premium packages for the two radio shows are attracting subscribers. Signups are steady, but it will take time to build to a sustainable level. For now, I can at least cover lunch money and some minor bills.

The major bills, though, are still left unpaid. So the power bill has to be covered by close of business Thursday. The landlord has given me until the weekend to catch up with his latest eviction notice. There are others, but these are the most pressing.

My wife, Barbara, and her sister, Helene, have made the first moves to set up an eBay business specializing in women’s accessories. It will start with handbags and expand later. They made their first sale last night!

So I’m really making progress to get past this financial nightmare.

If you feel you can help, please send your donation via PayPal. You may send it to [REMOVED] or use a Donation button on any of my sites. I can also accept a bank transfer, so contact me if you want details.

If you have any questions about my situation, or need more information about specific bills, let me know. I won’t hold anything back, and I know some of you wonder whether these requests are real, so you deserve to know the truth.

But if you feel you’ve done enough, feel free to Unsubscribe. I don’t wish to annoy anyone.

This holiday season I'm seeing a steady trickle of subscriptions for the premium versions of The Paracast and The Tech Night Owl LIVE. I’m certainly not out of the woods yet, but it’s nice to see things improve.

My wife, Barbara, and her sister, Helene, are starting up an eBay business specializing in women’s accessories. Several low-cost designer handbags are already posted, but there’s really no money yet to flesh out the stock.

As you see I am making progress to resolve the financial nightmare for good.

But I’m still facing critical unpaid bills. I made a little headway with the power bill, enough to keep the electric on for a few days. But SRP, the power company, threatens to put me on a pay-as-you-go basis if I don't pay the remaining balance, meaning I’d have to pay in advance for a bucket of power. Electricity will be turned off if I don’t buy more before the allotment is used up (they call it M-Power). It sounds screwy, but that’s how it works.

In addition, the landlord is pressing for his back rent. This morning he sent this text message: “I need the rent or else I will file for an eviction.” In Arizona, tenants have no rights. It’s either pay up or leave.

So I still need financial help, unfortunately. If you feel you can assist, please send your donation via PayPal. You may send it to [REMOVED] or use a Donation button on any of my sites.

Here's another way to send your online donation:

Please click:[REMOVED] and then enter the following email address (it should appear correctly this time): [REMOVED] into the 'to' box. If you use the “friend or family” option in PayPal in sending me a donation, they WON’T deduct the nearly 3% fee from the amount I receive.

I can also accept a bank transfer, so contact me if you want details.

If you have any questions about my situation, or need more information about specific bills, let me know. I won’t hold anything back, and I know some of you wonder whether these requests are real, so you deserve to know the truth.

But if you feel you’ve done enough, feel free to Unsubscribe. I don’t wish to annoy anyone.

You could cut the sense of entitlement with a knife. The utility company is threatening to put him on a pay-as-you-go model? The landlord is threatening to evict him? Yes - because he wasn't paying either of them! Why on Earth would he expect to be exempt from the same treatment anyone else not paying would receive? But no, he should be exempt from the need to pay, exempt from the consequences of non-payment, and oh by the way until he and his family's various unlikely enterprises pan out, could you maybe send some more cash...?

I can't believe he's got away with living like this as long as he has. But, even so, I do agree with the commenter who said this has likely been the pattern of his adult life.

PornoBob has finally come to his senses and disavowed Gene. It seems he was a victim in all of this too! I give the guy credit for coming out. He did more than Christopher O'Brien has done, which means Chris still supports Gene's fraud begging. Welcome back Bob Watson, you've been redeemed and are no longer PornoBob.--------------------------------------------

Since January I have been an admin at the paracast. In late February I saw gene was about to be homeless. I acted and placed a topic on the paracast forums. Then came the eviction, the hotel the move the hack. Woe after woe. I defended Gene. My twitter was hacked. Suddenly I was his head cheerleader. I have debated Michael Horn. I questioned Sylvia Browne to her face. I stood and busted fraud and hoaxes. But here I was supporting a man who by all evidence was committing fraud. Gene Stienburg has done nothing at all to address his situation. When I was robbed my whole family pitched in to help recover. While begging constantly Gene lives in an apartment that cost $950 to 1300 a month. Nice place. A GATED APARTMENT!!!!! A man who begs living in the LAP OF LUXURY! this is the place he is being tossed from. Folks I had all I can stand! I can not stand any more. My name have been link to Stienburg’s. I have been accused of being culpable. Of enabling. I started to question then finally I spoke out. But before I could make a break the whole “paranormal Davy” thing went down! Again dispute my growing discontent I defended Gene! And I stayed because the man I respected Chris Brian asked me to stay. Chris work was something I marveled at. He did the research. He was one of the best. And so I pressed on conflicted about the situation. And two days ago I decided enough was enough .

I BOB WATSON RESIGED MY POSITION OF ADMIN at paracast. Further I now disassociate my self from Gene. I like Ismay have jumped into a lifeboat and escaped the Titanic. I want nothing to do with gene!

I am tainted by Gene. My reputation in ruins. I now am on Alien expanse. Where I hope I can win back the trust of the UFO community.

Lastly I deserve some of the scorn heaped on me. “if you can’t stand the heat don’t go in the kitchen.”

It will take work but I will work hard to earn back the trust I lost. And for what it is worth I apologize to the UFO community for my past support of Gene Stienburg. And with this one book ends, a new one starts.

Bob Watson: "I am tainted by Gene. My reputation in ruins. I now am on Alien Expanse. Where I hope I can win back the trust of the UFO community."

Despicable. Advertising for some other dude trying to 'make it big' in the UFO world. Say what you will - and I have been right there saying what I will about Gene's begging and scamming - but Gene has done the heavy lifting across two decades (even if he gets others to do the heavier lifting, still...) garnering a substantial following doing the work of a weekly show - two weekly shows. What is this AE dude doing? He - nivek - owns a chat site. Full Stop. And is currently - with the help of the ever loyal Bob Watson - attempting to beef up his chat site numbers by working off Gene's back. That's what I see. Just another 'scam' but of a different kind.

BTW I would have had no problem with AE (and nivek) had I not seen what he was doing on the Paracast Forum. That's hitting low - trying to score off someone else's bad luck/stupidity/venal nature and that is as bad (in my book) as Gene's lack of conscience.

P.S. Bob, don't give Gene all the credit for your 'tarnished' reputation. You've done a good job on your own. You're a toady. You do what you're told to do. That's your failing, and has been your downfall. I wish you well - but I'd think better of you were you not so glaringly trying to scrounge off the Paracast radio Show and Forums - as AE/nivek is doing.

UFO Watchdog getting in on the act. Maybe time for a full blown series, ALA Sean David Morton?

UFO Watchdog - "I've been gainfully employed since I was a teen. I get tired of the sob stories. I'm sure if I checked the local wanted ads where this guy lives there would be jobs o'plenty. I worked several jobs I despised, albeit with some internal complaining - but I did what I had to do to pay my bills."

Bob, not sure why it took so long when I knew Gene's character after 1 email from him in 2006 begging me for money. But better late than never. May you be baptized in the liberating waters of purity and joy. People like you who have a great deal to give to others need to hold it in reserve for those who prove worthy of your time and energy. What part of Wisconsin do you hail from since I was born in a little town in central Wisconsin (papermill territory). When I realized where I was, I got out of there fast.

ArizonaWill: "That is harsh and unfair. If some celebrity in ufology accepts a guest invitation to the Paracast, they probably have no idea what Gene's been up to. It is just another gig to promote their book or website. David was with the Paracast in the beginning of Gene's begging. He had no idea it would become an obsession lasting over 12+ years. When David realized the begging was there to stay, he walked out. We also have no idea what Grayson is like. Afterall, he is off in Spain. If you wanted to get away from clinging money hungry parents, that should do it! "

An excellent summary, and I agree with all points.

I also think that Gene has the right to continue with his business/hobbies. He is a significant conduit for interviews and information in a small niche. So he has some glaring negatives - didn't Art Bell? I want to see his show and forum continue - hope he can recover - get a good co-host - and hope this massive come down has sobered him. All's he has to do is refrain 100% from all begging for donations here on out. Keep himself 'tidy' in that way and continue with his show - it will all calm down. That's what I think. (Though he would have to allow dissent on his forums without banning and all that stuff; in fact I think he should allow a thread on his forum discussing all this - it would go a long way to fixing the situation for him - plus he should un-ban all those he has banned - let the forums rock'n'roll).

Except in the cases where Gene took money as a loan, promising to pay back said monies, and didn't, there is nothing Gene has done that merits anything harsher than societal contempt. The lying was significant but honestly those tall tall tales he spun most people sniffed out as bogus.

I wonder what the astrology is on all this? And I mean on a large scale - there is so much coming to light these days that has been kept hidden. Ya know?

ArizonaWill: "Bob, not sure why it took so long when I knew Gene's character after 1 email from him in 2006 begging me for money."

Ouch! And true. The 'come to Jesus' moment came a bit too late in the game, only when he himself was getting swept up in the muck. Bob Watson seemed totally fine with Gene outing what he thought were RL names on Paracast threads - that Bob Watson would find it flipped against him in exactly the same way is small justice for those who had to endure Gene's venomous game.

Yeah, good luck with unsubscibing. I've been banned from the forum for months, and the creep is still spamming me. It all goes into the trash at a disposable email account, so I normally don't see it, but spam is spam. Lies are lies. Mental illness is mental illness.

Here's Captain Marvel again. Yes Gene "What are you trying to hide?" For someone who "believes strongly in freedom of speech", you certainly are trying very hard to silence Bob Watson and your critics.

You have posted a lot of very specific information here and made serious charges. You also posted the name of your attorney in DreamHost's own forums, yet you refuse to tell us what content led them to suspend your account.

That, to me, is suspicious. And it is going to force a lot of people who visit these boards not to take you seriously. I think the ball is in your court here to demonstrate that your account there was terminated for bogus reasons.

No responsible host is going to do that. Not DreamHost or any of the other hosts that are regularly discussed here.

So tell us the truth, please. You raised the issue. What are you trying to hide?

As a long-time professional journalist and talk show host who believes strongly in freedom of speech, I would personally consider leaving DreamHost if I felt they were doing anything grossly improper.Last edited by Captain Marvel; 04-06-2007 at 11:02 PM.Best,Captain MarvelHost/Executive Producer, The Paracast, www.theparacast.comI do not represent the hosting industry!

Here's Captain Marvel again waving his finger at hosts who terminate accounts. Yet, Gene Steinberg thinks nothing of deleting Paracast Plus members who dare to ask him for proof of his situation before giving money.

It's pretty obvious. If they are correct in that statement, then you are the one who committed the violation. DreamHost is surely not involved in a conspiracy to disable its customers sites and terminate their accounts.

Think about it: Why would they do that? What do they gain by terminating member accounts without good cause? What does any responsible company gain by that sort of practice?Best,Captain MarvelHost/Executive Producer, The Paracast, www.theparacast.com

A fascinating thread that erupted after David Biedney left the Paracast and went on the Church Of Mabus podcast and exposed Gene. Gene was able to get the podcast removed through threats, but you can find it floating around on Youtube if you look.

The thread goes into Gene's con and shows people were on to Gene 8 years about his lies. (Make sure to view all 3 pages). Only through silence was he able to carry on and victimize and sucker more people. Think of the hundreds who have given to him and got taken. If they had only known the truth about Gene, they could have been saved.

Thank god for this blog and that the truth is now coming to light on this cockroach.

The UFO field has a bad enough reputation full of hucksters and fakers. Gene Steinberg may be the king of them all!

I agree with the previous poster. When I heard Gene say he got Netflicks on the Paracast, I thought "and you dared to hit me up for money?" Gene lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is a part of the larger Phoenix metropolitan area that is very wealthy. It is Phoenix's version of LA's Beverly Hills. When you drive to Scottsdale, you immediately notice that hte gas prices are almost twice as high as elsewhere in Phoenix. Same goes for food and rentals. You'd have to be a total schmuck to live in Scottsdale IF you are not wealthy. So we have Gene there putting on wealthy airs while secretly panhandling on the internet. Real cool lifestyle, dude! I contacted Gene about a year ago because I was in the Phoenix area and none of this negative publicity was available. His response was that he needed money right away because his wife had screwed up their bank account and someone had hacked in and taken all their money. There were no groceries and he needed money right away! I smelled a stench. I come from the San Francisco Bay Area, where it is common for panhandlers in downtown San Francisco to have a really good sobstory, e.g., "My mom is having emergency surgery in Oakland, and I don't have the money to take BART under the Bay to be at her side. Please, man, I just need $5 to get a round trip BART ticket. Please help me!" Such guys just run up to you on streetcorners while you wait for the light to change to WALK. There was a scandal a few years ago when someone spied on these guys and found out they all congregated at a certain corner and were picked up by a van! They had been trained by a panhandling pimp who set these kids up with a good yarn and took part of their earnings. Maybe Gene should see if he can get a corner? I am deeply disgusted with Paul Kimball and Chris O'Brien for defending this sleaze bag. Evidently, being a guest host on the Paracast is the selling price for their integrity and soul. So be it. Anyone who gives money to ANYONE on the internet is a fool. Understand?

Anonymous: "I contacted Gene about a year ago because I was in the Phoenix area and none of this negative publicity was available. His response was that he needed money right away."

Pretty low - to a stranger. Shameless indeed.

So I take it you never met up with Gene in person? Has anyone met up with him? Is there anyone who has seen where and how he lives?

In 2010 Biedny declared Gene was living in luxury.

We have just had Bob Watson declare the same thing but how would he know - he lives no where near Gene.

Chris O'Brien has lived in the same area as Gene. He has stated (in Jan 2017) that Gene is/was doing better than himself, living in a gated community - but that was 3-4 evictions ago.

Of all people it seems that Biedny could state the truth and he did. Chris could state the truth and he did as of Jan 2017. But how is Gene living right now? Is Gene in fact in a gated community right now? That's what Bob Watson asserted. Is Gene still able to get digs in gated communities with his eviction history?

I have developed a morbid fascination with all this. It keeps going on. Amazing.

It would seem that some commenters here aren't reading Mr. Brewer's articles (and evidence) in their entirety, and or the Schemegene twitter feed.

To highlight a few things:

When former co-host for the Paracast, David Biedny first split the sheets with Steinberg (over a decade ago), and spoke publicly about Steinberg's activities, his argument was that Gene was living a lavish life style and at the same time "begging for money."

Back in those days, there wasn't any mention of evictions in Steinberg's solicitations. That cat wasn't out of the bag ... yet, nor did he want it to be. When it did become public knowledge (thanks Mr. Brewer et al) he then used that in his narratives.

There is a legal term for "the intentional use of deceit, a trick or some dishonest means to deprive another of his/her/its money, property ...."

With this latest court case, in the last 18 months (by my count) Steinberg has been prosecuted for Unlawful Detainer 4 times! In each instance Steinberg publicly stated that he did not have the money to comply with a lease/rental agreement he signed (intentional use of deceit, a trick or some dishonest means to deprive another of his/her/its money, property ...), or that he was about to, using that as a ploy to extract money from his subscribers.

He has publicly stated that he's facilitated hot e-checks to his landlords and or creditors and has a history of committing these crimes (check fraud) and being prosecuted for them and used that as a ploy to extract money from his subscribers.

It's been noted either in this thread or the other Steinberg thread that both corporations listed at the Paracast and the Tech Night Owl are now defunct and have been for years. I'd be curious to know what the legalities are in regards to a false front and entering contracts with advertisers and or broadcast mediums.

Finally, to label Steinberg's long term actions as "glaring negatives" or to state that his crimes don't merit "anything harsher than societal contempt" suggests ignorance of the facts (and I don't mean that in a pejorative sense).

Steinberg has been exposed, what he does is calculated, his activities being labeled as "begging" is preferable (to him) as that isn't illegal.

Anonymous: "Finally, to label Steinberg's long term actions as 'glaring negatives' or to state that his crimes don't merit 'anything harsher than societal contempt' suggests ignorance of the facts (and I don't mean that in a pejorative sense). Steinberg has been exposed, what he does is calculated, his activities being labeled as 'begging' is preferable (to him) as that isn't illegal."

This is me. ;-) I see your points. You are right. I retract my soft-pedal though it's hard for me to totally demonize someone, and everyone deserves some slack. Thing is this is exactly the kind of soft-heartedness a scammer relies upon. And it does look like Gene is in a serious hard place now what with a 3rd eviction in less than a year. The mystery for me is how Gene gets his new digs every time - and upscale digs at that. No normal person would be able to do that - we all know that. How does he do it?

I have just taken the time to listen to the David Biedny interview from 2010 - and it's an eye-opener. Strongly urge others to search out the Church of Magus Biedny podcast interview on YouTube. Extremely important interview in many ways, at many levels. (The interviewers are a disappointment - they didn't deserve to get him as a guest - so rude to him at the end imo).

Gene is at it again and just sent another email begging and using his wife’s health as the ploy. No word of his pending eviction June 6th which coincidentally is the same day as his wife’s cardiologist appoint. I wonder how they will appear in two places at once? The court house fighting an eviction and the doctors office?! I predict his next pitch will be that his wife’s doctors bills were not covered by Medicare and he needs your money. He’s using this as an excuse because he is too embarrassed to use a 3rd eviction in a year as the bait for more donations. People have grown wise over that one. Now he’s onto his wife’s health and using her in his scam. How despicable!

————————————

Hi,

The other day, while driving a passenger home via Uber, she politely asked my age. When I told her I’ll be 73 in September, she wondered aloud, “Why aren’t you sitting on a patio drinking lemonade?”

I didn’t want to burden her with my problems, so I gave her a very brief summary.

But it’s true that I do not expect to ever retire. I’m not alone. Senior citizens by the millions in the U.S. have returned to work because they need the extra money to survive.

I’m doing my best to boost my income. My health is decent, although I have the makings of a cataract in my left eye. But I may be years from needing surgery to correct the problem. I also relatively poor night vision, so I restrict my Lyft and Uber rides to the daytime.

Barbara’s health may be iffy. She has surgery scheduled for later this month to handle a digestive issue, but when she had a pre-op EKG last week, her doctor found a problem that needs attention first.

The doctor told Barbara she may have had a mild heart attack recently, based on the reading, so she is visiting a cardiologist Wednesday for further testing.

We hope the medical bills won’t be high. She has Medicare, plus a supplemental plan covered by Medicaid. Her meds are pretty cheap, but we haven’t been quoted a price on the surgery and other treatments she might need — at least not yet.

Meanwhile, the online pack of bullies is still at it, and I’m seeing some resistance signing up new advertisers. I hope it’s not because of their mischief-making.

Despite the obstacles, I’m fighting to stay afloat, and I hope you’ll be able to continue to help.

If you can send a donation, please go to: REMOVED login and use the Send to friends and family option. Enter my email address, REMOVED and click or tap Next to continue the transaction.

I can also accept payments through Facebook Messenger and Apple Pay Cash via the Messages app. I’ve also established a Facebook fundraiser, but it takes at least 7 days for payment to be sent to my bank.

If you’re not able to send a donation, feel free to forward this message to someone who might assist.

If you have any questions about my situation, please don’t hesitate to write, and if you know someone who can provide some legal advice to deal with the online haters, I’d really appreciate it.

And if you want to receive regular updates about my personal situation, please sign up here: REMOVED

I'm sure he's got an angle here that he's playing out, a few different reasons why he's not bringing it up just yet:

1) He doesn't know because he wasn't properly served and has seen nothing of it mentioned on the internet. I find this the most unlikely option.

2) He's PRETENDING not to know so he can claim ignorance to buy himself more time in the eviction process by claiming he wasn't properly server, to buy himself more time without paying rent. This is a guy who's been through this process a few times now and is a veteran at it, if he can find an out to claim he didn't know of the proceeding and not being served by a sheriff, he'll do it.

3) He knows and does expect to be evicted again soon, but is waiting for the last possible moment to play the eviction card again, knowing he just did this less than two months ago.

Notice in one of his Tech Night Owl newsletters, he's started to refer to his wife by here maiden name:https://www.technightowl.com/newsletter/

Obviously he's trying to set up something here. My theory is, claim ignorance on the eviction notice because it wasn't properly served a sheriff to buy himself more time, and also set it up as his next donation story: "Evil landlord gave no notice on eviction and thought they had an agreement and was going to pay, really!"

Wife uses maiden name to try to clear future civil/credit checks for the next gated community to crash.

This guy knows how to play the long con, Gene should write the next Ocean's movie.

Gene says he can’t sell ads because the “pack of haters” are scaring everybody away.

Show us proof. How many phone calls to potential advertisers have you made Gene? I dare you to even show us 1 email from an advertiser who said no. You can’t. Because you never called anyone.

You’d rather beg and dupe people into feeling sorry for you with your sob stories instead of getting off your ass and working a real job like the rest of us. You ask for loans from people and you have no intention of paying them back. That’s theft.

You even declared bankruptcy and shafted everyone who has supported you. You rent apartments and never pay your bills then cry woe is me and want your email list to bail you out. 3 evictions in a year is a wake up call.

You are the worst kind of human being. A mooch. A con man. And scam artist. You’ve been doing this for over 10 years and it’s time it’s come to an end.

Gene's constant adventures remind me of a character in classic cinema. In early film making, there was a movie serial called THE PERILS OF PAULINE. Perhaps Gene is getting some of his scripts from this series about the constant threats upon Pauline's life. Pauline is usually associated with the classic scene of a damsel in distress who is tied to a railroad tracks and must be rescued before the train runs her over. If allowed, here is a url to the Wikipedia article about the Perils of Pauline which in the 21st century remake is now known as the Perils of Gene. LOL

If anyone can find Gene’s federal Arizona bankruptcy he filed a few years ago it could offer some clues. I’m sure he didn’t disclose his email list donations which were the majority of his “income”. I believe these documents are public record?

David Biedny, in response to the fake Thomas R. Morrison email posted at the UFO Watchdog page on Facebook: "What a total shitshow. I apologize to everyone for helping enable Gene in any way, I now largely regret ever starting the Paracast in the first place. Sigh."

"Here’s how I see it: Empathy is the ability to respect and maybe even understand another’s point of view, revealing larger truths about ourselves and others. Exploitation is the use of another’s experience for personal gain. Empathy requires self-awareness. Exploitation is marked by self-interest. Empathy is about deepening connections. Exploitation, about filling one’s pockets, literal or figurative."